Every year there is a flurry of book releases in November, timed to capitalise on the Christmas market. In our cycling world, we benefit from another peak in the middle of the year to coincide with a focus on the Tour de France. This year we are in for yet another peak, as publishers look to take advantage of the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia.

The first of these new Giro books to arrive is by Colin O'Brien, who you might know from his frequent contributions to various cycling magazines. His experience of living and working in Italy ('a land of inconsistencies and complications') will surely have been of great benefit in helping to achieve his aim for the book: 'the Giro can sometimes seem to elude full comprehension, but it means a great deal to an awful lot of people. This book sets out to explore why that it is'.

Buy Giro d'Italia: The Story of the World's Most Beautiful Bike Race by Colin O'Brien

What follows is neither a detailed nor chronological account of the 99 previous races, and there are definitely no lengthy tables of race results. This is not that sort of book. Instead O'Brien groups together stories around various themes, often relating to people or places. The result is very readable, but it is no surprise to find that a lot of the material has already been covered elsewhere.

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For example, the story of Tullio Campagnolo being inspired to invent the quick release hub on the Croce d'Aune has been told many times, as has 'that rivalry' between Coppi and Bartali.

Some of the better known stories are told largely through interviews with the main protagonists, such as Andy Hampsten and Stephen Roche recounting their career-defining moments in the race for the umpteenth time.

Some stories are perhaps less well known: we learn why the Passo dello Stelvio, 'perhaps the closest a road engineer will ever come to genuinely artistic expression', has achieved legendary status – even though it features on the race route more often than it is actually ridden because of the unpredictable weather when the race is held. Making its first appearance in 1953, Coppi got the climb's reputation off to a good start by unexpectedly taking the race lead off Koblet on the climb, which added drama to the race. Apparently he used a gear of 46 x 23 (or about 54 inches), which is impressive.

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The appearance of Alfonsia Strada in 1924 is another good story, with Strada being the only woman to ever compete in the men's race. She did not finish officially, but it was a newsworthy story. And just as with the Tour de France six years earlier, the Giro was created to sell newspapers, in this case the La Gazzetta dello Sport. Apparently it was printed on green paper at first, rather than the pink that was in place by the time that the race adopted the colour for the leader's jersey.

Read more: 14 of the best cycling books — essential reading for every type of rider

The Giro has been involved in more than its fair share of controversies over the years, which make for necessary if uncomfortable reading: the rise and fall of Pantani (who features on the cover), the sudden removal of mountain stages to favour the local riders, and even the use of a helicopter's down-draft to hinder foreign opposition.

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Equally intriguing is O'Brien's explanation that 'Mussolini's Fascist regime was arguably the first to see the full political potential of sport, using it not only to glorify the perceived superiority of the Italian race but also in making sport a big part of the country's indoctrination into the party's machismo mentality'.

The final chapter is a little different and more forward looking, based around an interview with the current race director Mauro Vegni, and it covers topics like the financial challenges, the drugs issue, his favourite riders, and his plans to keep the race relevant.

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The Giro and Italy, Italy and the Giro: this book helps to explain how each has helped shape the other. It is clear that the Giro has been an important feature of Italian sport – and indeed the country – since 1909; some have even suggested that 'the race has done more to unite Italy than Garibaldi's Risorgimento ever managed', although I doubt that was part of the original plan.

This book gives an excellent introduction to the history of the Giro and all that it means to Italy and cycling, but it will not satisfy those who want detailed race commentary and results.

Verdict

Enjoyable but brief overview of the Giro d'Italia and its many stories, prompted by the 100th edition of the race

1. Viitor Fonseca rescuing a kitten was just purrfect

Viitor Fonseca of the Equipe de Ciclismo de Taubaté found the kitten, which had apparently lost its mother, while on a training ride last week. With the animal clearly needing help, there was only one thing for it – Fonseca, wearing of course a Catlike helmet, tucked it into his jersey for the remainder of the ride. The kitten did not seem unduly distressed about being tucked in the jersey or being on the bike and gave him lots of licks and kisses.

Read more and watch the video here. 

2. Tom Dumoulin is a tough cookie, and refusing to crumble

Tom Dumoulin celebrates winning Stage 14 of 2017 Giro d'Italia (LaPresse - D'Alberto - Ferrari - Paolone - Spada).jpg

His lead in the general classification may have been overhauled thanks to stomach troubles on stage 16 and time losses on stage 19, but Dumoulin's still well placed considering the final stage is a time trial through Milan.

Read more here

3. Dumping septic waste is a sure fire way to kick up a stink

Two members of Swiss cycling team Katusha Alpecin left the Tour of California in disgrace after being caught dumping septic waste on a highway. Spokesman for the race Michael Roth clarified that the Tour of California has "a zero-tolerance policy for desecrating areas along the route."

Read more here

4. A bigger British cycle network could be on its way soon

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A Kickstarter campaign to research and revive 300+ miles of 1930s-era British cycleways has received a massive boost from an American corporate backer, Showers Pass of Portland, Oregon.
Crowdfunding was begun by Bike Biz executive editor Carlton Reid, who said: "It's fantastic that an American company has seen the worth – and the  PR potential – in backing this campaign.

Read more here

5. The dashcam/cycle camera debate rages on

Dashcam (licensed CC BY-ND-2.0 by Paul Townsend on Flickr).jpg

AA President Edmund King suggested laws should be introduced to restrict the use of dashcam video footage, saying that a “rush to judgment” on social media can lead to innocent motorists being victimised - the comments split opinion in the road.cc comments section, with some saying his points are valid and others claiming King is disregarding the need to protect vulnerable road users. 

Read more here

6. US Cycle safety campaigners are getting creative, really creative... 

Cartoon campaigning in Boston (picture via Jonathan Fertig on Twitter).JPG

Cycling campaigners in the US are becoming ever more creative in their efforts to persuade city authorities to make conditions safer for people on bikes. Eight huge cartoon cut-outs were put up on Massachusetts Avenue on Sunday 22nd May to act both as a message to Mayor Martin J. Walsh to improve infrastructure and to highlight to drivers the role they can play in keeping cyclists safe.

Read more here. 

7. The inventors of the keyless Ellipse bike lock have a tough crowd to please

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 ​

'Bank Level' encryption, solar-powered and a dual-locking mechanism... revolutionary? Our commenters weren't so sure, and we feel that the inventors of Ellipse, who have successfully brought this bluetooth-connected device to the market with an RRP of £199, have a way to go to convince cyclists that their lock is the way forward. 

Read more here

8. There was a wheelie good battle going on between Italy and the US

Peter Sagan Tour of California 2017 wheelie (mikeisintyler Twitter video still).JPG

Two grand tour riders were filmed pulling some serious wheelies, showing that there's still time for some fun even when the stakes are high. Peter Sagan showed off his skills on Mount Baldy at the Amgen Tour of California, and Fernando Gaviria did likewise at the Oropa climb at the Giro d'Italia.

Read more and watch the videos here. 

9. Age can sometimes be a barrier

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80-year-old cyclist John McNally completed Étape Caledonia last week in five-and-a-half hours, finishing 2,265th and ahead of over a thousand riders... but was dismayed to find out that the event isn't open to riders over the age of 80, meaning as it stands he won't be able to compete next year despite being in rude health. The Étape Caledonia organisers have been contacted for comment.

Read more here. 

10. Mum's not always the word

Cyclist Iván Muñoz didn't exactly get the motivational words from his dear mother that he was hoping for when tackling one of Spain's most feared climbs. Just before approaching the 23.5% max gradient of the Alto de l’Angliru climb, Muñoz' mother can be heard shouting: “Iván, the bit coming now is much harder“... to which Ivan manages to reply: “Bloody hell, Mum. Thanks!”

Read more and watch the video here. 

11. Legendary Ultra Cyclist Mike Hall will get the most fitting send-off possible.

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After tragically passed away in March following a collision in Australia during a race, family and friends have organised a ride in South Wales in Mike’s memory, with his ashes being rode down from his native North Yorkshire by close friend Guy Kesteven.

Guy said: "Pat [Hall’s mother] and I thought that taking his remains by bike would be a fitting way to get him down to Wales for one last party so he's going to put me through the wringer one last time.
“If anyone wants to join Mike for a bit on his last ride or just say goodbye en route then it'd be great to see you."

Read more here.  

The Giro d’Italia was interrupted yesterday - by an ornamental stuffed fox wearing a pink scarf.

As the stage neared the summit of Monte Grappa in the Veneto, a man popped out of the crowd brandishing his taxidermy.

A fox is in contention for Stage 20 of the @giroditalia. Yes, a fox!! pic.twitter.com/PTbTBHKI0f

— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 27, 2017

It’s the second known appearance of the fox, who made an appearance at the Giro in 2014.

Cycling fans were left baffled by the sight.

“Darling, I’m off to Monte Grappa to watch the Giro”

“Have you got your stuffed fox on a plinth?”

“Oh, thanks for the reminder!” pic.twitter.com/AzEILNKjoP

— Scott O'Raw (@velocast) May 27, 2017

Just 100 Rosa edition Elite Drivo turbo trainers will be made, with UK distributor Madison securing a small allocation to be sold in the UK.  

Review: Elite Drivo direct-drive smart trainer

Tom Dumoulin becomes first Dutch winner of Giro d'Italia

With all three riders atop of the podium at the 100th Giro D'Italia being Elite Drivo-supported riders, the brand wanted to celebrate the success of their Italian-made smart trainer by releasing a special Giro-themed version, which of course had to be in the colour of the Maglia Rosa. 

The Drivo is known for being the first direct-drive turbo to offer a built-in power meter, and independent testing has verified that it's accurate within 1%. It's also compatible with all the latest indoor training software, such as Zwift and Trainer Road. 

The Elite Drivo received a glowing review from our tester back in February, and if you want to own this loud and proud version they're due to arrive at the end of June, priced at £1199 which is the same RRP as the standard model. 

Giant Bicycles and Dumoulin’s Sunweb team presented the 2017 Giro champion Tom Dumoulin with this very pink race bike to celebrate his victory. And now an exact replica of the frameset that made up this special bike could be yours!

Complete guide to Giant's 2017 road bikes

Tom Dumoulin's Maglia Rosa Giant TCR

While Dumoulin himself didn't actually get to ride the pink Giant TCR Advanced SL at the Giro (it of course went down to the wire with Dumoulin in fourth on the final day, before emerging victorious after a storming TT effort) one rider will be able to use it to their heart's content if they strike lucky by winning this very special comp. 

It's exactly the same as Dumoulin's regular Giant TCR Advanced SL and the lightest frame in the company’s range, which takes full internal cabling and is made of Giant's advanced grade carbon composite. 

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You simply have to provide your name, email address and frame size to be entered into the competition, which is open to UK entrants only and closes on the 18th June at midnight, with the winner being announced on the 19th at 10am - so you've nothing to lose and, potentially, a very snazzy piece of cycling history to gain. You can enter here on Giant's website... good luck! 
 

Proper cycling shoes help keep your feet comfortable, improve power transfer and let in air to cool your feet on hot days. They’re an under-rated part of the cycling wardrobe and needn’t cost the earth.

The key to the function of cycling shoes is the sole. Cycling shoes have soles that are substantially stiffer than those of regular shoes or trainers. They don’t need to bend for walking, so they can be very stiff. That spreads the force you’re putting on the pedals around your foot and stops your foot uncomfortably bending at the edges of the pedal.

Let’s take a look at cycling shoes from the sole up.

Soles

A cycling shoe sole is stiff because it’s made of some sort of rigid plastic, often reinforced with fibreglass or carbon fibre. Most cycling shoe soles have threaded inserts so you can attach cleats for use with clipless pedals, though there are a few retro-styled shoes with smooth soles for use with clips and straps.

Pearl Izumi M Elite Road IV Shoe Sole

Pearl Izumi M Elite Road IV Shoe with three threaded inserts for a cleat and ventilation holes

There are two types of soles for clipless pedals. Road racing-style shoes have three threaded inserts for a cleat that sits on the outside of the sole. Mountain bike style shoes take a two bolt cleat that sits in a recess in the sole tread so that the shoes are easier to walk in when you have to get off the bike.

Shimano MW7 winter boots - sole

Shimano MW7 winter boots with a recess in the sole for a two-bolt cleat. (Only one pair of bolt holes is used at a time.)

Shoes for three-bolt cleats are great for rides where you don’t get off the bike for more than a cafe stop. If you want to walk around in between periods on the bike, go for two-bolt shoes.

Three-bolt soles usually have a couple of lumps of rubber under the heel and toe to make it slightly easier to walk in them, but they only improve things a little.

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These Quoc Pham Fixed shoes  are intended for use with clips and straps and so don't have fixings for cleats

Uppers

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Bontrager Classique Shoes have a synthetic leather upper and laces for a retro look.

Cycling shoe uppers are made from many materials including real leather or suede; synthetic leather or suede; and nylon mesh. They are usually stitched together from various panels of material, but some high-end shoes have the upper moulded in one piece, which saves weight. Look for seams reinforced by double lines of stitching at the edges of the panels.

Vittoria Road Shoes - heels

Shaped heel cups keep your foot securely in place in the shoe

The main body of the upper will have padding, reinforcement and stiffening in various places. The most significant stiffening is usually around the heel. This heel cup is shaped to hold your heel down in the shoe so it doesn’t slip on the upstroke as you pedal. The toes are usually reinforced against scuffing, especially in shoes intended for mountain biking. There’s usually padding at the heel and top of the shoe for comfort.

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Shimano RP900 shoes have multi-panel construction with mesh and a rubber toe bumper

Some high-end shoes have uppers that can be moulded to more precisely fit your feet. Your dealer warms them, usually in a special oven, and then you put them on and buckle them up. As they cool they’ll take on the shape of your feet.

Closures

Giro Petra VR Shoes

Laces can still be found on more casually-styled shoes like these Giro Petra VRs

To keep them on your feet shoes need to be fastened. The old school way of doing this was with laces, but most cycling shoes now use Velcro straps, buckles, dials or some combination.

Shoes with laces will usually have a Velcro strap to cover the knot or some sort of ‘speed laces’ with a buckle to hold the laces in place and a place to tuck the free end. Either way, you don’t want any dangling string that can get caught in your chain or wrapped round the pedal axle so be sure to there are no loose dangly bits to get snagged. They may be a bit fiddly, but laces allow you to spread the tension evenly over your foot, which can make lace-up shoes very comfortable.

BTwin Road 5 Mens Road Cycling Shoes

B'Twin Road 5 shoes are a very typical three-strap shoe

Velcro straps are the cheapest option. There are usually three along the top of the foot and you simply pull them tight and cinch them down. They’re quick and easy and they hold the shoe firmly im place, but as there are only three of them it’s easy to overdo tightening one and end up feeling like part of your foot has been clamped. Tighten them gently.

Vittoria Speed road shoes

Vittoria Speed shoes each have a pair of Velcro straps and a ratchet buckle

On more expensive shoes you’ll find a ratchet buckle replacing the top strap. The advantage of a ratchet is that it’s very easy to adjust the tension as you ride, either to tighten it for a big effort or loosen it off if your feet are getting tired.

Bontrager Specter Road Shoe - BOA dial

Bontrager Specter shoes combine a  BOA with a single Velcro strap

On some high-end shoes you’ll find one or two dials that tighten very fine plastic-covered steel cables. In effect this is the high-tech answer to laces, spreading the tension around the top of the foot. The idea first appeared as the Boa closure; several shoe manufacturers now use it or their own versions. Like ratchets, wire-dial closures allow you to adjust the tension while you ride.

Insoles

CurrexSole Bikepro Performance Insoles - underside

The underside of these CurrexSole Bikepro insoles shows the different regions for support and shock absorption

Inside the shoe you’ll find an insole that cushions your foot and spreads the loads around. These vary in sophistication from a simple layer of foam to liners with multiple densities and adjustable support to heat-mouldable insoles that can be shaped to fit your foot. You can also buy new insoles to improve the fit and comfort of your shoes.

Ventilation, warmth and waterproofing

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Vents at the front and in the middle of this Gaerne sole let cooling air fow through.

All that pressure through your feet can lead to them getting hot on warm days. As well as weight reduction, that’s why some shoes use lightweight mesh to let air in and cool your feet. Many shoes also have ventilation holes in the soles, though these can make you too cold in the winter. A strip of duct tape fixes that.

Gaerne G.Winter Road Gore-Tex road shoes

Winter cycling shoes ward off the cold and wet 

Speaking of winter, you can get shoes specifically-designed to keep your feet war and dry during the cold and wet months. They usually have a breathable, waterproof Gore-Tex liner and a layer of insulation. That means they’re not cheap, but they’re worth it if you want to carry on riding through the winter. Pro tip: buy them in the spring when they’re heavily discounted and put them away for winter.

Women’s shoes

Fizik R5B Donna Womens shoes 2

In general, women have narrower ankles than men and smaller feet. Women’s shoes are therefore a slightly different shape, and some models are available in smaller sizes than the 36 that’s usually the lower limit of men’s ranges.

What do you get for your money?

It pays to shop around; shoes are rarely sold for full RRP. You can pick up a pair of three-strap shoes with fibreglass-reinforced plastic soles for as little as £25. At actual prices of around £50 you start getting ratchet buckles for easy tension adjustment.

Want something stiffer and lighter? The cheapest shoes we’re aware of with carbon fibre soles will set you back £65, and you don’t have to pay much more for heat-moudable soles.

From there on up shoes generally get more orientated toward racing, with a few exceptions like winter boots and expedition mountain bike shoes. That also means soles usually get stiffer and the whole shoe lighter. The light, high-strength materials needed to achieve that are expensive, which pushes up the price of the shoes. Won the lottery? Check out the handmade Assos G1 shoes with carbon fibre soles, kangaroo leather uppers, Boa closure and every clever detail you can think of. A snip at £370.

Three great shoes for beginner cyclists

Muddyfox RBS100 — £30

Muddy Fox road shoes.jpg

My eyes! It's okay, these budget road shoes from Muddyfox are also available in a snazzy white, red and black colour scheme for those who aren't sufficiently extrovert for screaming neon.

They have a two-strap closure, with a very broad strap across the top to spread the tension over your foot, and Amazon reviewers say the sole is plenty stiff. For just £30, they do the job.

Spiuk Nervio — £41.99

spiuk-nervio-mtb-spd-shoes

Understated to the point of stealth, these lace-up mountain bike shoes have a grippy sole that will take SPD cleats, or you can just leave the cover plate and use them with flat pedals. 

Giro Petra VR — £62.99

Giro Petra VR Shoes

While there's always going to be a time and a place for super-stiff lightweight road shoes, sometimes that's not always what's required, or desired. The Giro Petra VR Shoes are designed for those times when there's going to be a fair bit of walking as well as riding, and when a more low-key looking shoe may be the thing. But they're still technical.

Officially in Giro's 'dirt' section of the company's website, the Petra VR is more a touring or casual shoe, rather than a technical mountain bike shoe. They lace up, have a Vibram sole, and feature a removable plate under which lurks SPD attachment points, but they are styled much more casually.

The men's equivalent is the Rumble VR.

Read our review of the Giro Petra VR

Find a Giro dealer

Assos G1 — £369.99

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Only kidding!

Giro's Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes are ultra-light, attractive top-end shoes that will make a big dent in your wallet but are a worthy purchase if you can justify them.

Giro has been the leader in reintroducing what some might see as an antiquated way of securing your shoes, and these flagship Prolight Techlaces are the latest in the line from the Californian company's range of top-end footwear.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy these online here

A pretty ordinary looking box opens to reveal the treasure within: a travel bag, the shoes themselves in all their bright crimson red loveliness, a bag of parts and an instruction manual. Seeing a manual with a pair of shoes threw me to start with, but it did prove useful as it gives easily digested guidance on what to do with the bag of parts, containing the adjustable footbeds and a set of titanium cleat bolts.

The shoes themselves are indeed remarkably light, feeling unbelievably featherlike in the hand, but that's no surprise when they only weigh a scant 193g per shoe for a size 46. The quality of construction is obvious to the eye. The sole is made from Textreme carbon; the science is rather complicated but the upshot is that it's lighter (20% on average) and stronger than your standard carbon. It's also used by Felt on its top-end bikes and PRO uses it for its eye-wateringly expensive wheels.

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As regards the upper, I can honestly say I haven't seen anything like it before. The skeleton – literally, as there are many cutouts – of the shoe is made from ultralight Techmesh, then covered with a Teijin TPU top layer, which has an unusual feel to it and is opaque. Yes, really. Choose your socks carefully as where the cutouts are you can see what's underneath. Again, baffling science behind the materials, but it looks good, vents well and is easy to clean.

In the ongoing race for lightness it would seem that going back in time is the key, as more and more shoes hitting the market lately are dropping the ratchet, full Velcro enclosure and even now the Boa dial in a quest to save a few more grams. With the Prolight Techlaces, Giro has taken the full lace setup from its Empire shoe and modified them to the enclosure we find here. Consisting of segmented laced sections with Velcro attachments at the ends rather than two continuous laces, as in a traditional shoe, it offers adjustability at three points similar to a lot of full Velcro closure systems that have been around for years, but reducing the weight by a good margin. In use I found them to work well, getting the fit right quickly before getting on the bike and then easy to adjust when on the move.

Giro Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes - laces.jpg

I usually use a set of custom made footbeds with any cycling shoes I wear, but after reading through the manual and taking a look at the included adjustable footbed I thought it was worth a try. Far more naturally moulded at the heel than typical, they offer three different arch supports from minimal to high (which I generally fall under). The manual guides you though determining which would be best for you, but I opted for the largest size based on my custom pair and left them in for the first couple of weeks.

They performed very well indeed, not feeling too far off my customs and certainly not giving me any real issues, only proving not perfect on day-long rides when I did get a little discomfort. I have been wearing custom footbeds for six years, though, so it shows they did well in the interim and if you currently just use whatever your shoes came with then they are likely to be a bigger benefit.

Giro Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes - inside.jpg

Wearing them in general was a pleasure and in no time they became my favourite shoes. They are remarkably comfortable, slipper-like in comfort when putting them on, and when quickly and easily adjusted they feel just great. The lack of weight is very apparent too, especially so when walking around.

On the bike, they are stiff at the sole as expected, but the malleable upper allows a little movement and my feet never felt restricted. If you are after the ultimate in a 'clamped in' fit these may not be to your liking.

Giro Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes - sole.jpg

In warm weather the under-toe vent along with that paper-thin outer skin is a blessing, keeping temperatures and sweating down a treat. I did wear them on occasions when I was caught out in wet weather and although they still felt light on the foot when wet – let's face it, there isn't much to soak any water up – the summer temperature was not cold enough to feel a chill. They certainly wouldn't work to your benefit in the colder months, although to be honest I'd be more concerned about ruining an expensive, classy looking pair of shoes – these would be kept for summer best.

Giro Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes - sole toe.jpg

There are a couple of niggles in amongst all this praise though. The biggest issue was the cleat fitment. Giro has used fixed mounting holes with no adjustability, and they're set further back towards the heel than any of my other shoes. This meant that although I could get the angle right owing to the actual cleat's adjustability, I couldn't quite get them as far forward under the ball of my foot as I would like. It hasn't caused any issues even after a few hundred miles, but it does feel odd for a short time as you transition between pairs of shoes.

The only other issue I encountered was that over time the laces have stretched a little, placing the Velcro portion further down the side of the shoe. It seems to have settled now but I'll be interested to see if it goes further.

> Buyer's Guide: 15 of the best performance cycling shoes

Lastly, there's that price tag. These are Giro's flagship shoes and are some of the absolute lightest on the market, with the quality and selection of materials going some way to justifying the price. However, I recently reviewed the Lake CX-301s, which for the same size 46 weigh in at 201g per shoe and are over £100 less. At the extreme end, the 150g per shoe Rocket7s which are also lace enclosure-based, come in at a staggering £1,200, making the Prolight Techlaces cheap in relative terms.

Verdict

Some of the lightest shoes available with comfort to match, these should be high on your list if you can stomach the cost

Giro's Transfer Denim Jeans are a good solution if you're looking for a pair of trousers that will last the rigours of regular bike rides but will also be great for all that 'real life' stuff you do when you're not cycling.

Sometimes, you want to just jump on your bike to get to work or pop to the shops, yet you don't want to risk stretching or dirtying your normal jeans, or run the risk of seams rubbing in the wrong places. At the same time, though, you don't want to get in your bibs and jersey just to go wandering around Sainsbury's looking for bananas and milk. Giro's Transfer Jeans bridge this gap, delivering a pair of 'normal' denim trousers with a reinforced and gusseted crutch, slightly stretchy fabric, and reflective cuffs for enhanced visibility.

> Find your nearest dealer here

In terms of looks, the Transfers could pass as a pair bought from one of those mysterious non-bike clothing shops… With the classic denim colouring and look, they easily integrate into your day-to-day wardrobe and could be worn off the bike without anyone casting you a suspicious second look. They're a relatively slim but not ridiculously tight cut, meaning they're fairly universal in terms of casual-styling.

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On the bike, the jeans provide a comfortable ride. Given the relative slimness of the leg, they don't get caught up in the chain or rub on any parts of the frame (and there's always the option to roll up the leg, thus revealing the reflective element inside the cuff). There's just enough space around the knee and waist to allow you full and unimpeded leg movement. The material used is 98% cotton and 2% Lycra, this latter element giving the trousers just enough stretch and flexibility for riding comfortably.

Giro Mens Transfer Denim - riding.jpg

For me, the most important element of the jeans in terms of ride-friendliness is the crotch. Anyone who's ridden in 'normal' jeans will be well aware that the seams can fall in all the wrong places, rubbing and chafing in all the places where you definitely do not want any friction. While the seams of these jeans are where you'd find them on any other pair, the crotch is gusseted and reinforced on the inside with an extra layer of padding which slightly eases pressure and takes the edge off any rubbing around the seams.

Giro Mens Transfer Denim - back pockets.jpg

This reinforced patch is also designed to reduce the chance of fading and the fabric getting distressed over time, meaning they can easily become your go-to commute jeans without fear of getting ruined. With that issue in mind, it would have been nice if Giro had also reinforced the knee slightly, as from my experience this is one of the key areas where wear from rubbing knees can impact if frequently used on a bike.

Another nice bike-specific touch is the addition of reflective fabrics on the inside of the cuffs on the outer side of the leg. If you roll the jeans up for your ride so as to eliminate the risk of any dirt messing them up or your chain catching on them, there's an element of added visibility for riding in traffic.

Giro Mens Transfer Denim - cuff.jpg

In terms of fit, the size 32s I tested fitted as any other paid of 32in trousers I have. They are a little on the long side, though not massively so, and they look good off the bike with a small turn-up anyway.

Giro Mens Transfer Denim - front.jpg

Price-wise, the jeans initially struck me as quite expensive at £79.99, but they compare well with bike-jeans by other brands, which seem to range from around £70 a pair up to £150. If you're looking for alternatives at a similar price point, the Resolute Bay NX1 jeans were reviewed highly favourably, and if you want 'trousers' rather than jeans, these Velocity Men's Climbers trousers are worth a look. Female-specific jeans are also available, such as this pair by Vulpine and these from Rapha.

> Buyer's Guide: Top clobber for casual cycle commuting

All-in, the Giro Transfer Jeans offer a nice solution for those times when you want to pop out on the bike for social commitments or work and not in Lycra. They look like normal jeans, and so can be comfortably worn out and about, but have been built to withstand the rigours of riding. The reinforced crotch and Lycra elements improve ride comfort, though I wouldn't fancy riding in them for too long on an aggressively fitted road bike for fear of developing any saddle sores. For shorter rides, or riding a more relaxed fit bike, they're just the job.

Verdict

Look great off the bike and perform well on it; a solid choice for short commutes, leisure rides or no rides

[This article was last updated on October 22, 2017]

What do you get if you pay £100 or more for a helmet? As this selection of high-performance lids shows, you get a hard-to-achieve combination of low weight, ventilation, comfort and, in the latest models, aerodynamics.

You can get a fairly decent helmet for £30, but if you want a helmet that’s so light and comfortable you’ll forget it’s there, or you want the latest aerodynamic designs, then you’ll have to pay a bit more. What do you get for your money?

Weight

The lightest modern helmets come in around 200g which is light enough that you really do barely notice they’re there. Achieving very low weights while still meeting standards isn’t easy, though, and involves the use of high-tech materials and very careful design. Specialized’s 185g Prevail S-Works, for example, is internally reinforced with an aramid skeleton. Other super-light helmets have minimal, pared-down adjustment systems, necessitating the use of light but strong plastics, and featherweight webbing straps, none of which comes cheap.

Ventilation

Specialized Prevail front

The materials that allow a helmet to be light also allow better ventilation because they make it possible to increase the size of the vents and internal channels. Quite simply, there’s less helmet there, so there’s more room for air to flow.

In some helmets the cradle that fits around your head lifts the body of the helmet away from your scalp, further improving ventilation. That has been an important feature of the latest generation of aerodynamic helmets.

Comfort

Giro Synthe helmet - tensioner

The days of foam pads resting on your head and making it sweaty are long gone. Many modern performance helmets have cradles that lightly wrap your whole head, spreading the already-low weight over a large area and leaving plenty of bare scalp for sweat.

Helmet shapes have improved too, and the almost-universal use of some sort of dial adjuster to fine-tune the fit means these helmets can be easily tweaked; a lot less hassle than picking the right thickness of pads out of the box.

Aerodynamics

Giro Synthe helmet - side - crop.jpg

As in almost every other aspect of cycling, aerodynamics is the latest big thing. Aero road bikes and aero wheels have been joined by helmets claimed to be wind-tunnel-tested to provide an aero advantage.

It started with simple plastic shells to cover the vents for situations like a finishing sprint where every fraction of a second counts, followed by helmets with fewer vents and smooth outer shells. Not having a wind tunnel, we can’t verify the aero claims, but this crop of helmets does have the advantage of being warmer in winter. The previous generation of high-end helmets are so airy your gets distinctly chilly without a skull cap.

Read more: Should you buy an aero helmet?

Read more: Everything you need to know about helmets

Read more: The best cheap helmets

Read more: All road.cc helmet reviews​

Met Strale — £71.99-£79.90

Weight: 241g

Met Strale Helmet - side.jpg

Met's Strale helmet strikes a balance between aerodynamics, cooling and comfort that makes you wonder whether you really need to spend any more on a polystyrene lid.

The Strale is half the price of the Met Manta Aero, below, but offers nearly the same performance. No doubt there'll be some data out there to say it doesn't save as many watts at a given speed, but for the majority of your riding that probably doesn't matter.

With eight vents up front, the Strale has a lot fewer than most traditional helmets but you certainly don't overheat when you're wearing it. A few weeks ago the temperature in this part of the country was nudging 30°C and I spent the week riding in the Met without issue.

Read our review of the Met Strale
Find a Met dealer

Met Manta aero — £129.99

Weight: 215g

met-manta-helmet-side.jpg

Aerodynamics are important in a bike race and we're seeing the pros concentrating on cheating the wind from every direction, head to toe. 'The fastest closed aero helmet' claims Met about its brand new Manta; a big claim but this helmet is about more than just going fast.

Met claims the Manta saves 10 watts at 50km/h compared to its rivals and although that is hard to test in the real world even half of that isn't to be sniffed at for free. That'll be at an optimal position too, most likely the handlebar-staring, stem-chomping head angle employed by the world's best sprinters but hey, when you're really going for it in the drops the Manta does actually make you feel quick – nothing wrong with a placebo effect.

Read our review of the Met Manta
Find a Met helmets dealer

BBB Tithon — £59

Weight: 280g

BBB Tithon Helmet- side.jpg

If you want top aero performance for that final burst to the line at the end of a race, coupled with reasonable ventilation, the BBB Tithon is a great option.

Let's start with that ventilation, which you'd be right in thinking isn't spectacular. Of course it isn't: there are only two holes at the front and three at the rear. However, the way they work in practice by pulling air through from a high pressure to low pressure area means you do still get a surprisingly good level of airflow in spite of appearances.

t's one of those helmets where, if all you're interested in is saving the odd watt here or there at the end of a race, then it's going to appeal; if not, then it's likely you'd be better suited to one with more ventilation.

Read our review of the BBB Tithon
Find a BBB dealer

Cannondale Cypher Aero — £98.99

Weight: 285g

Cannondale Cypher Aero Helmet - worn.jpg

Cannondale's Cypher Aero is essentially its Cypher race helmet with an aero shell. It's a sleek and well-ventilated design that is light – and now aerodynamic too. Cannondale has stuck with its traditional look, a plus point in my book, rather than following the current trend of weird and wonderful aero designs.

Weighing in at just 240g without the aero shell, its light weight is probably the first thing you notice. Cannondale has used its 'Peak Protection technology', with dual-density EPS foam reducing weight while keeping rigidity high. Combine that with the wide distribution of internal padding, and it's easy to forget you have it on. Even with the shell on, 285g isn't exactly heavy.

Read our review of the Cannondale Cypher Aero
Find a Cannondale dealer

Kask Mojito — £106.98-£118.99

Weight: 251g

kask-mojito-helmet.jpg

Italian helmet-maker Kask has a gem of a helmet in the Mojito, a lightweight and relatively inexpensive design that fits brilliantly – to my head anyway.

Thanks in part to its sponsorship with Team Sky, Kask is now widely recognised as a leader in the lid market. The Mojito is now its mid-range helmet after being used by the pro team up until 2014, so still carries a lot of the ventilation tech and lightweight construction you'd hope for from a pro-level model.

Read our review of the Kask Mojito
Find a Kask dealer

Lazer Genesis — £107.99

Weight: 275g

Lazer Genesis matt black medium helmet.jpg

With its sleek design and 19 vents, the Lazer Genesis is a great helmet, especially considering the price. The optional aeroshell (£14.99) means this can handle the fastest races and coldest training rides equally well.

​Read our review of the Lazer Genesis
​Find a Lazer dealer

Bell Zephyr Mips — £138.60

Weight: 288g

bell-zephyr-front.jpg

The Bell Zephyr MIPS helmet might be one of the more expensive options out there but it's well ventilated, fairly low profile, and it boasts an excellent new MIPS-integrated fit system.

Just to get you up to speed on MIPS – or Multi-directional Impact Protection System for long – it's 'a revolutionary technology that lets the helmet slide relative to the brain, adding more protection against rotational violence to the brain caused by angled impacts', according to the team behind it. 

Read our review of the Bell Zephyr Mips
​Find a Bell dealer

Catlike Mixino — £139.99

Weight: 227g

catlike-mixino-helmet-2016-front.jpg

Without a doubt, the most recognisable helmet in the professional peloton. With its distinctive Gaudi-esque vents and slightly bulbous shape, the Catlike Mixino looks like an object made by nature. It's superbly ventilated, fits well and few helmets weigh less.

The reason the helmet has this unique shape is thanks to its aramid skeleton, which sits underneath the 'foam' of the helmet. It's reinforced with graphene to enable it to have a significant number of vents (39 in total) and a very light weight (227g) without impacting on safety in the event of a crash.

Read our review of the Catlike Mixino
​Find a Catlike dealer

Kask Rapido — £61.74-£65

Weight: 215g

Kask Rapido

The Kask Rapido is a rather excellent helmet.

The understated looks, fantastic ventilation and low price make this a really good deal. They are robust and come in a variety of colours, which due to a full plastic shell, wipe clean.

The low profile suits many head shapes and the retention system provides a very wide range of adjustment.

LAS Victory — £99.50

Weight: 230g

LAS Victory helmet

​This latest version of the LAS Victory fits really well, is superbly made, looks great and the new chinstrap buckle is a worthwhile improvement on an already great lid.

The Victory has 25 vents, so there's plenty of ventilation. The shell extends down the sides and around the bottom to protect the foam from knocks and scrapes, keeping your helmet looking new and fresh for longer.

To provide the best protection it can, a helmet also needs to fit well. Heads are all shapes and sizes, but the Victory is helped by a micro-dial at the back that lets you fine-tune the girth. There's vertical adjustment as well – 59mm of it – making for a very precise and secure fit.

Read our review of the LAS Victory

Find a LAS dealer

​POC Octal — £139.97-£179.99

Weight: 204g

Poc Octal helmet

​So the first thing to say about this lid is that it'll turn heads. It polarises opinion.

It's a very well vented helmet that is backed up with a nice fit and impressive lightness. 

Dave had it on test and said "you're either going to like this helmet's appearance or you're not; I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise. What I would say is that you should withhold your opinion until you've actually seen the helmet with your own eyes rather than just the photo up top". 

Read our review of the POC Octal

Lazer Z1 — £149.99

Weight: 238g

Lazer Z1 Helmet - shee;

The element of the Lazer Z1 that stands out most is that it has been designed with ventilation in mind, with 30 vents throughout the body. The airflow is about as good as you will find and certainly among the best we have used. It has great word-of-mouth too; this is one of the best liked helmets around for its ventilation and fit.

The strong fit is achieved through Lazer's Rollsys system, which maintains pressure around the entire head rather than placing it on the rear like most other helmet adjustment systems. This means there are no hot spots of pressure, making it comfortable to wear for long periods of time. In terms of fitting the helmet, it is effortless as it just has a wheel on the top of the helmet that you twist to either tighten or loosen.

The Z1 also comes with an aeroshell, which covers the top to improve the aerodynamics or keep you warm in cold weather, depending on how you look at it.

Read our review of the Lazer Z1

Find a Lazer dealer

Bontrager Ballista Mips — £99

Weight: 266g

Bontrager Ballista helmet

The Bontrager Ballista is an aero road helmet with very good ventilation that keeps your head cool and comfortable as you ride.

Bontrager says the Ballista has less drag than any other aero road helmet out there. The company says that the Ballista outperforms the Specialized Evade, Louis Garneau Course and Giro Air Attack, according to measurements in the wind tunnel. The other brands might well contest that of course.

What we can tell you for sure is that the Ballista feels very cool in use. You get three very large vents up front and two more on the top of the helmet. These lead into deep channels in the EPS (expanded polystyrene) that run right over the top of your head and on to a series of exit ports at the back.

Read our review of the Bontrager Ballista

Find a Bontrager dealer

Giro Synthe — £118.99-£224.99

Weight: 223g

Giro Synthe helmet

The Giro Synthe is an aero road helmet that's lightweight, comfortable and very well ventilated.

Giro call it the Synthe because they reckon it synthesises all the features you'd want in a high-performance road helmet: low weight, plenty of ventilation, a good fit and aerodynamic efficiency.

They certainly nailed the weight. Our medium sized test model hit the scales at 223g. It fits comfortably, thanks to Giro's Roc Loc Air system lifting the helmet body slightly off your head. It's also one of the best-ventilated helmets we've ever used. Giro reckon that using a heat-sensing headform reveals the Synthe to be cooler than the existing Aeon and nearly as cool as a bare head.

We can't verify Giro's aero claims, but they claim it's superior to their Air Attack lid, which isn't as well ventilated.

Read our review of the Giro Synthe

Find a Giro dealer

Specialized Prevail II — £160

Weight: 201g

Specialized Prevail II.jpg

If ‘performance’ means ‘low weight’ then this is the helmet you want. The Specialized Prevail II is the pinnacle of Specialized's vented helmet design: the lightest and best ventilated helmet they've ever put on sale. And in use it is indeed, cool, light and very comfortable.

The  Prevail helmet has long been a popular helmet with performance-focused cyclists because it's comfortable, well ventilated and seriously lightweight. This version retains everything that was good about original but has a much lower profile. It not only looks better but offers better ventilation and sweat management as well as reducing the wind noise of the original.

The only criticism it was possible to level at the original Prevail was its very wide profile that looked a bit bulbous on many heads. That has been addressed with the Prevail II. It's a much sleeker and lower profile helmet, sits lower on the head and doesn't protrude at the sides as much as before. Good job, Specialized.

That reduction in bulk hasn't reduced the weight, as you might expect. The Prevail II weighs 201g on our scales, compared to 190g for the original Prevail, both in a size medium. Still, it's one of the lightest helmets on the market. You might think there's little point in a lightweight helmet. And then you try one and it's hard to go back to a heavier helmet. Specialized also says the lower profile offers a small aerodynamic improvement as well.

Read our review of the Specialized Prevail II

Find a Specialized dealer

KASK Protone — £189

Weight: 250g

Kask Protone helmet

Kask's Protone helmet, developed in collaboration with Team Sky, is a highly adjustable, cool and comfortable lid, although it comes at a premium price. If Kask's claims are to be believed, it boasts impressive aerodynamics for a well-vented helmet too.

You know how some helmets feel like they perch on top of your head a bit like a flat cap? The Protone is the exact opposite. It feels like it fully encompasses your head, more like a beanie, say, reaching low at both the front and, especially, the back.

Testing the Protone involved a lot of climbing in high temperatures and we found the venting to be very effective. Our tester didn't get a noticeably hot, sweaty head, or anything close to that, despite relatively little venting towards the rear of the helmet. There's good airflow right across the top of your head that keeps the humidity down.

Read our review of the KASK Protone

Find a KASK dealer

Giro's Civila cycling shoes for women are comfortable, stylish, light and functional. Laces might not be to everyone's taste, but they mean achieving a good fit is easy, and they go particularly well with civvies.

• Pros: Comfortable, versatile, walkable-in, replaceable parts, laces
• Cons: Laces...

There are those who will instantly roll their eyes at the mention of laces in conjunction with 'modern' cycling shoes, with comments about "safety", "catching in pedals", blah blah. Ultimately it's personal taste rather than safety concerns that will drive whether you like the look of the Civilas or not – indeed, there's a little elastic retaining loop so you can tuck those offending laces away where they are unlikely to cause some catastrophic incident. I happen to like the lace-up retro look, and I doubt I am alone.

> Find your nearest dealer here

These are intended to be a comfortable and stylish option for those of you wanting something a bit less obviously functional, without trading all of that performance in favour of looks alone.

Giro Civila Womens Road Cycling Shoes - toes.jpg

With an easy-to-keep-clean synthetic leather upper and grippy sections on the sole that are replaceable, these shoes are designed to offer both functionality and good low-key looks that should go with any outfit. They are easy to walk in, comfortable for the job and the grippy sole sections offer a much better likelihood of staying on your feet on a tiled or laminate floor than many shoes offering equivalent performance. Hands up who hasn't done that embarrassing power slide in a coffee shop...

Giro Civila Womens Road Cycling Shoes - sole heel.jpg

The outsoles are still very much a rigid affair, so there's still a certain duck-like quality to your walking gait, but it's a good level of compromise to retain what is actually surprisingly good power delivery to the pedals. These aren't pliable bendy shoes, they are still very much cycling efficiency-focused.

Giro Civila Womens Road Cycling Shoes - heels.jpg

On the bike, the laces enable a good broad area of compression on the top of the foot, rather than localised pressure areas that are sometimes the case with Velcro or similar fastenings, and are actually more comfortable for long periods as a result. They are also very easy to adjust.

> Beginner's guide to cycling shoes

The low weight and stiffness of the sole mean they're well up to the job of even sportives and audaxes, if that's where you want to take them, as well as touring and tea-shop rides. You can use them with flat pedals and toe-clips or two-bolt clipless pedals; the fastenings on the outsole are for two-bolt cleat systems rather than three-bolt performance road pedals.

Giro Civila Womens Road Cycling Shoes - sole.jpg

They're available in sizes 36-42, and a black, blue and white colourscheme as well as this 'black/gum'.

For the price, I'd say you are getting quite a lot of shoe in terms of style, function, performance, comfort and quality – especially when you consider that the grips on the soles are replaceable, so they'll continue to do their job for a good number of years. These are a very safe bet for those looking for a shoe to do all their riding in, whether it be to the pub, to work or along the Danube.

Verdict

Great looking shoes with excellent levels of performance and comfort both on and off the bike

Bonfire Night is behind us, the John Lewis ad has been on the telly and it can’t be long until you hear that annoying Shakin’ Stevens song. Yes, Christmas is on the way and this Christmas gift guide is for riders who like to ride fast.

These aren't necessarily gifts designed to help someone ride faster but they're things that'll appeal to people who ride with speed and fitness in mind.

Perhaps you’re a racer or a sportive rider and you want to drop some hints to your family and friends. Or maybe there’s a sporty person in your life who rides a bike primarily for fitness. 

If so, we’ve got suggestions starting at £12.99, and some priced much more.

Have a look through and see if there’s anything that takes your interest. Even if nothing here quite does it for you, it might give you an idea – in which case you can head over to our reviews archive and check out some more options.

Click on the heading for each of our suggestions and you'll link straight through to somewhere to buy it.

Giro Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes £349

Available now at Sigma Sports

Giro Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes - side.jpg

Yes, they’re expensive but Giro's Prolight Techlace Cycling Shoes are ultra-light (just 193g per shoe in a size 46) and they put in a big performance. The Textreme carbon soles are stiff and the uppers are laced, Velcro tabs allowing on-the-fly adjustment to the tension. These shoes might be performance focused but they’re also very comfortable. 

Read our review.

The Hardmen - Legends of the Cycling Gods by The Velominati £12.99

Check this out at Amazon for 32% off RRP 

The Hardmen.jpg

Even the most motivated racer needs some extra inspiration from time to time. This book focuses on 36 of cycling's hardest men and women, and rather than dealing with everything that rider achieved, it covers the one defining moment when they implemented Rule #5 (“Harden the fuck up”).

Read our review.

Stages Dash £279

Available now at Merlin Cycles

Stages Dash and Link - 8.jpg

The Stages Dash (which has had a price reduction since we reviewed it) is an impressive device for training by power, particularly if you buy into the coaching aids offered by the Stages Link web platform. It lacks advanced navigational capability but it communicates with both ANT+ and Bluetooth sensors and can let you know exactly what you should be doing at all times during a training session.

Read our review.

Craft Active Extreme 2.0 CN LS £40

Available now at Craft

Craft Active Extreme 2.0 CN LS.jpg

If you ride fast you’re going to sweat, and if you sweat you need a base layer that’s good at dealing with it. The Craft Active Extreme 2.0 CN LS puts in a really strong performance to keep you comfortable in temperatures below about 10°C, providing a good level of warmth along with great wicking and breathability.

Read our review.

Secret Training Stealth Training Mix £22.50

Available now at SecretTraining.com

Stealth Training Mix? It certainly sounds like something for those with a need for speed. This is a slow release carbohydrate and hydration drink mix. Our man Liam tried it and he said that subtle flavours package a well-rounded nutrition profile. It's not sweet or sticky, it mixes well and the scoop fits into a standard cycling bottle.

Read our review.

FSA Powerbox power meter £599.95

Check this out at Wiggle for 11% off RRP 

FSA Powerbox Alloy Road Chainset.jpg

Training by power is becoming ever more popular for those who want to get the most fitness for their time on the bike, and FSA’s Powerbox, produced in partnership with German company Power2Max, offers a consistent and reliable performance at a not-too-crazy price. Dave did the testing and was highly impressed – easy to install, easy to use, and no reliability issues. 

Read our review. 

Wahoo Kickr Smart Turbo Trainer £999.99

Available now at Wiggle

wahoo kickr v3.jpg

Granted, not many people are giving presents that cost £1,000, but you never know. Now in its third generation, the Wahoo Kickr continues to be one of the best direct-mount smart trainers on the market, providing easy resistance control, superb realism, rock-solid stability, massive 2,000 watt capacity, and easy connectivity to a range of apps from Zwift to TrainerRoad. Serious indoor training tools don't get much better than this.

Read our review. 

Scott Cadence Plus Mips helmet £169.99

Available now at Evans Cycles 

Scott Cadence MIPS-9.jpg

This is a good aero helmet that doesn’t sacrifice ventilation, Scott having adapted the MIPS (Multi-Impact Protection System) to improve airflow. It comes with bungs to close up the front vents on cold rides or when you want to be even more aero! 

Read our review. 

Lezyne Sport Floor Drive ABS2 pump £44.99

Check this out at Tredz for 10% off RRP 

Lezyne Sport Floor Drive 2.jpg

You need to get those tyres topped up right for optimal performance! Lezyne's Sport Floor Drive pump uses a new ABS2 head for a leak-free fit on any type of valve without any faffing or changing. It’s a very stable pump that should stand up to years of use and abuse.

Read our review.

Topeak Ninja CO₂+ £39.99

Check this out at Wiggle for 10% off RRP

Topeak Ninja CO2.jpg

The fastest way to get back on the road following a puncture is with a CO₂ inflator. Topeak’s Ninja CO₂+ is a bottle cage with an inflator kit holder, complete with two 16g CO₂ cartridges and Topeak's own Micro AirBooster inflator fixed to the bottom. Two tyre levers are attached to the side of the bottle cage too. It’s a clever little design.

Read our review. 

Sportful R&D Strato jacket £120

Available now at Wiggle

Sportful R&D Strato Top.jpg

The new Sportful R&D Strato combines a thermal long sleeve jersey and a windproof gilet into one top. Out on the road it provides superb comfort, warmth and breathability. Suitable for temperatures from about 8°C and higher, it’s a great option for spring, autumn and milder winter days.

Read our review. 

Lusso Stripes Gilet £79.99

Available now at Lusso

Lusso Stripes Gillet.jpg

The Lusso Stripes Gilet takes the basic concept of keeping cold air at bay and turns it into a technical and performance tour de force for reasonable money. It’s windproof and the slim, athletic fit means there’s zero flapping, even when riding downhill at speed. It's packed with tech, performs faultlessly, looks the business and fits in a rear pocket when not in use.

Read our review. 

Pro Vibe Aero Carbon Handlebar £299.99

Available now at Mantel

Pro Vibe monocoque UD carbon handlebar.jpg

When performance-focused riders aren’t obsessing about producing watts they’re obsessing about saving them, hence the existence of the Pro Vibe Aero Carbon handlebar, designed with aerodynamics in mind. It's a stunning piece of engineering that cheats the wind with Kamm-tail profiled tops and well-thought-out internal cable routing. Even the section of the drop facing the wind has been narrowed into an oval. Admittedly, it’s not cheap.

Read our review. 

Lezyne Super Drive 1500 XXL £109.99

Check this out at Chain Reaction Cycles for 20% off RRP

Lezyne Super Drive 1500 XXL.jpg

Speed-freaks can’t let a little thing like the dark stand in the way of training. This excellent light runs for ages and comes with Lezyne's Overdrive mode which you can use like a full beam/dipped beam setup in your car, allowing you to barrel down country lanes as fast as you would in the day and then switch to a less intense setting in the face of oncoming traffic. 

Read our review.

Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 SPD-SL pedals £224.99

Check this out at Wiggle for 46% off RRP 

Shimano Dura-Ace Pedal R9100 SPD-SL.jpg

Shimano's top-level Dura-Ace R9100 pedals offer loads of security and stability and they're a few grams lighter than the previous version with a wider pedal platform. The bearings are smooth and if any issues do develop you can open up the pedals for servicing. They should last ages.

Read our review. 

Pearl Izumi Pro Pursuit Cycling Bib Tight £179.99

Available now at Amazon

Pearl Izumi Pro Pursuit Cycling Bib Tight.jpg

If you are buying for someone who wants foul-weather, full-length bibs for going fast in, look no further. These are warm and comfortable with multiple panels to keep water out and heat in, while being breathable up top. The multi-density PRO Pursuit 1:1 pad (these are also available without a pad for £129.99) feels great in use, so there’s nothing to distract from cranking up the watts. These put in an excellent performance.

Read our review.

Rudy Project Fotonyk Glasses £109.99

Available now at the Bike Rooms

rudy-project-fotonyk-black-mat-glasses-2.jpg

These Rudy Project Fotonyk glasses are perfect for riding at any time of the year thanks to their photochromic lenses changing from clear to dark in reaction to lighting levels. They offer great optics and comfort and they don’t fog up, even at the end of a hard, steamy interval, thanks to a cutout at the top outer corner of each lens. These are a joy to wear.

Read our review. 

OTE Dried Cherry Anytime bar £28.08 (box of 24)

Check this out at Tredz for 17% off RRP

OTE Dried Cherry Anytime Bar.jpg

People who like to ride fast need to put the right fuel in the tank, hence these Anytime flapjacks that are made from natural ingredients. As the name suggests, they’re intended for anytime of the day as well as for before and during exercise – a healthy snack to grab between meals. Reviewer Jez said that they’re “tasty, even moreish”.

Read our review. 

Bonza bike box £499 

Available at BonzaBikeBox.co.uk

Bonza Bike Box.jpg

If the person you’re buying for is going on a training camp, this mid-priced hard box will keep their bike safe when they fly. It’s easy to pack, simple to move around and, most important of all, it’s tough and strong.

Read our review

Prime RP-38 carbon wheels £809.99

Check this out at Chain Reaction Cycles for 20% off RRP

Prime RP-38 carbon clincher wheelset.jpg

These wheels are light (1,360g), stiff and well built and they offer a decent braking performance, even in the wet. The 38mm-deep rims give a bit of an aero advantage without being a handful when it gets windy. Eight hundred quid isn't exactly small change but it's not expensive for a set of carbon, tubeless-ready wheels either.

Read our review.