Mountain bikers are passionate about the gear they choose to ride, and will take to the grave certain choices. Pedals are among those preferences, and many cling to a clipless pedal system with ferocity. While the reasons might seem unclear at first, once you discover your preferential pedal, you might have similar feelings.
For the budget-conscious rider looking for a great first experience with clipless, the Shimano PD-MT50 is a great start.
If you’re looking for an upgrade for any mountain bike, handlebars determine how your bike fits and handles in profound ways. Consequently, choosing and setting up your handlebar is essential unlocking the handling potential of any mountain bike.
Handlebar Features to Consider
Dimensions – The width, height, and angles of a handlebar will determine how it it fits your body and suits your riding style.
Nothing is sweeter than unwrapping some carbon swag for the holidays. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for your favorite cycling fanatic or upgrading your own gear by taking advantage of some massive price drops, we’ve compiled the best discounts and coupon codes into one handy guide. The best Black Friday Bike Deals have already started. Many are time-limited, so we’re monitoring them every hour. Keep checking back for the best cycling deals.
Stages power meters are known for two things: bringing power meters into the budget range of the everyday cyclist, and gracing Team Sky’s Tour de France winning bikes.
But despite their endorsement from the pros, Stages haven’t totally dominated the power meter market. Issues with the reliability and accuracy of data, plus the waterproofing (or lack of) of the casing plagued earlier generations of meters, issues which Stages claim to have fixed with this year’s Gen 3 range.
A good base layer will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. It adds comfort, especially under bib-shorts, and can help you regulate your body temperature by wicking away sweat. Plus, it provides an extra layer of protection from road rash if you take a spill.
In 2021, looks are vying with functionality on the cycling shoe catwalk. Bling is back, with shiny metallic uppers, funky colors and ‘oil-slick’ (i.e. bright and shiny) soles. Taking the Bling Beauty Queen title is the Gaerne G. Stardust, a shoe which arguably looks more at home at a 70s disco than pedaling up a mountain pass.
While we’re waiting for some of these shoes to hit the market, we’ve been looking at some of our favorite tried-and-tested models. (And yes, many are pretty as well as functional.) While we may not balk at spending thousands of dollars on our bikes and associated components, when it comes to shoes, our wallets often win the battle with our hearts (or feet).
But cycling shoes aren’t just something to keep your feet cool and dry. They can directly impact your performance, both by transferring power efficiently from your legs through to the pedals and by being comfortable enough to allow you to keep that power transfer up hour after hour. An ill-fitting pair of shoes will make cycling a misery and you may be surprised at just how much faster you can go with a stiff, well-designed shoe.
Your perfect shoe will depend on a number of factors including the shape of your foot, the type of cycling you’re doing and the level of performance you’re aiming for. In this article, we’ll be looking at shoes that are designed for clipless pedals. If you’re used to flat pedals and are looking to upgrade, check out this article for tips on getting started with clipless pedals.
I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time searching for the perfect pair of bib shorts and, honestly, I’m not sure I’ve found them yet. It’s the old Goldilocks syndrome: you know, this one is too this, this one is too that, but this one is just right. Only, the ‘just right’ one is ridiculously hard to come by.
During my brief amateur racing “career”, our team kits were made by Vomax, then Sommerville Sports and, in my third year, Hincape. Of those three, Hincape wins hands down (and is still one of my favorites). The Hincape bib shorts have the best, least stiff, and most comfortable chamois. The leg grippers don’t cut into my thighs and they have the option of a shorter inseam length (which I much prefer, especially in summer).
In contrast, the chamois in both the Vomax and Sommerville Sports versions, is very stiff so that, even after multiple wears, it still pokes out in the back just below the tailbone (not the most attractive silhouette!) Also, the Sommerville shorts have leg grips of death. My entire team had to insert rolled up towels into the legs to try and stretch them out before we could wear them without cutting off our blood circulation.
Unfortunately, Hincape doesn’t seem to offer their standard team kit bib short for sale to the general public – at least I haven’t been able to find it. In my quest to find the perfect bib shorts, I think I’ve slipped into every chamois out there. Here are some of my favorite bibs and what I’ve discovered along the way.
Versatility isn’t a word commonly associated with triathlon gear. So we’re particularly excited to see a helmet that not only excels in aerobars but also offers roadies a real slipstream advantage. Rudy Project claims its Boost 01 aero road helmet reduces aerodynamic drag by 12% compared to traditional road helmets.
Boost 01 combines safety and aerodynamics into a unique and powerful design. Boost 01 features extreme ventilation and reduces aero drag by 12% compared to traditional road helmets.
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While it took longer for the Italian company to enter the aero road market, they finally have a dog in the fight. Aerodynamically engineered by wind tunnel master John Cobb, the Boost 01 marries the ventilation and comfort of an aero road helmet with the aerodynamic time trial design that’s set Rudy Project apart as the most worn helmet at the IronMan World Championships.
Having tested other aero road helmets, we strapped on the Rudy Project and put it to the test.
If you’re a bike commuter like me, you know how important it is to have a good, reliable light. Bike lights provide two functions, both equally important. One is to be seen and the other is to allow you to see. There are a lot of options out there so it can be hard to know which one to go with. If you’re still trying to decide on a light, check we’ve rounded up and reviewed our favorite head and tail lights here.
First off, in case you were wondering, those little blinking lights don’t do much at all. They’re normally not bright enough to cut through rain or fog or haze. As a daily New York City commuter, I can attest to the fact that you really need to invest in a light with at least 350 lumens at its brightest. You want a light that you can operate at varying intensities and patterns – flashing, strobing, always on – depending on what conditions you’re biking through. And
You want a light that you can operate at varying intensities and patterns – flashing, strobing, always on – depending on what conditions you’re biking through. And it’s super helpful if your light is waterproof.
The Cyglolite Metro 400 has, as its name suggests, a 400-lumen output. In daylight flashing mode, it puts out 500+ lumens in short, bright spurts. It has 6 different modes, 3 steady, 2 flashing, and 1 walking and side illumination ports for better visibility.