Pick ’n’ Mix
Now is the winter of our cycling content
1 KNOG COBBER MID LIGHTS
£114.99, silverfish-uk.com
One of the best things about being a roofer in the summer is all the hot shingles in your area, but one of the best things about being a cyclist in the winter is all the cool lights you get to play with. And none are more fun than these. With 320 lumens up front and 170 at the rear, they boast 330° visibility thanks to their wraparound shape – the backs are concave to encircle bars, tubes or seatposts.
2 GELPACKS DIRECT REUSABLE GEL PACKS
From £11.99, gelpacksdirect.co.uk We rarely excited by reusable gel packs, but these are the exception, remaining malleable when frozen so they mould to the body, yet holding consistent temperature when heated in a microwave. Various sizes are available, and various straps to secure them to the body. Your muscles and your peas will thank you.
3 CAMPAGNOLO VINTAGE BIDON
€34.90 (£29), campagnolo.com According to cycling lore, Rene Vietto invented the down tube cage, repositioning bidons from bars to frame for better bike handling. That was 1939 and in time bidons changed as well, to squeezy plastic. Happily for nostalgists, these aluminium bottles will add a touch of romance to your ride, even if they might add a few grams too. But hey, just follow Vietto there as well: upon hearing his sepsisriddled toe needed amputation, he reassured himself he would be lighter on the bike. And then asked domestique Apo Lazarides to do likewise for similar marginal gains.
4 ARUNDEL ART GECKO BAR TAPE
£32, lyon.co.uk
And the winner for Best Product Name goes to… Arundel. Because frankly, hats off. Art Gecko. Very good. And this is very good bar tape: tactile, grippy and available in more colours than a chameleon’s kaleidoscope. Which reminds us, did you hear about the chameleon that couldn’t change colour? He had a reptile dysfunction.
5 RAWVELO ORGANIC HYDRATION DRINK MIX
£10.75 for six, rawvelo.com Scarecrows are outstanding in their field. But hay, it’s in their jeans. What marks out Rawvelo products as a cut above, though, is a core DNA of raw, natural ingredients combined to make bars, gels and now hydration drinks such as these new Mixes, which use dehydrated coconut water, freeze-dried fruit powders, sea salt and natural sugars to boost your riding performance.