Home › Forums › Bike Forum › What’s your cycling product of the year?
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What’s your cycling product of the year?
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1bikesandbootsFull Member
Formula Selva R.
They really should be free on the NHS, and the HSE should ban the RockShox Pike and Fox 36.
Decided to go for a brake change, got some Hayes Dominion A4’s. Why I waited so long is beyond me.
You are one step behind me on the path, now get the fork.
1el_boufadorFull MemberI’ve had loads of of the wiggle / CRC fire sale earlier in the year. A few that spring to mind that were the best of those purchasst are:
Aeroe spider dry bag rack. Rock solid and capacious.
Fox X2 shock and 38 factory fork way better than rockshox IMO
Gx axs t type
Hayes dominion A4 brakes
Giro helmet with removeable chin bar..used it loads more than I thought and great for more protection than a trail helmet.
5:10 trail cross + nukeproof flat pedals – jumping and confidence on flats generally has come on loads because of that combo
Dhb windproof running top. £5 and barely leaves my bag ‘cus it’s so small..I use it loads to provide a bit of an extra shell. Although not that exciting, I think this is the stand out material purchase of the year because it’s so versatile and bargainous
Leatt trail shorts..light and airy, dry quick, look good, seems robust
Leatt ultralight knee pads for trail riding
Raceface indy (Enduro) knee pads for more protection.
Trips away
Bike park Wales – 2 days – fantastic..why have I not been before
Pyrenees adventure with basque MTB. The most relentless ‘ holiday’ I’ve ever had. 100% brilliant start to finish and overall fantastic value for the quality of organisation and both quality and volume of riding
The fuel cost to drive to dalby off piste, and time invested finding the good trails, was worth every penny/minute when everywhere else was awful slop for months in the spring.
Non bike stuff…
Trip to Montenegro with the family. A great country, had a fantastic time doing loads of different things
2x decent sleeping bags. Western mountaineering mega light and sea to summit spark sp1. Has me covered for all bases except REALLY cold and much better than previous mid priced stuff that was neither warm nor light.
Fjern gokotta 2 tent. V. Light. Great for comfortable camping for 1 even though it’s just about ultralight.
Oex heiro stove. great for 1 when you just want some hot water quick. Small enough, fast enough and light enough. Very efficient.
Other random trips away in bothies, tents and bivvies. They’ve all been great but the best one was with my eldest where we did a 3 dayer of about 50% of the dales divide
n0b0dy0ftheg0atFree MemberMaybe it was ’24 when I bought a Lezyne Super Pro GPS in the CRC fire sale for £26, replacing the Mega XL I must have dropped just before getting off the train at Warminster in September ’22, just as my long covid was starting.
1SimonRFull MemberRab Cinder Vapour Rise has been my fave purchase this year – seems to manage a wide range of temperatures with a tweak to base layers, wicks well, great fit, does ok in showers or light rain, really cosy with a waterproof over the top of the weather turns, and it’s packable enough for a spare layer ?
1joebristolFull MemberRockshox Vivid Coil with HBO for me. I’ve run a Float X, X2 factory and a Cane Creek Kitsuma coil on my Sentinel and the Vivid is by far and away the best shock for it.
I can run a 50lb lighter spring than the Kitsuma, so it’s more plush over small bump, yet it avoids harsh bottom out. I haven’t had it professionally tuned or anything – so I’m not sure if it’s got a heavier hsc tune or if it’s purely the hbo doing the hard work.
13thfloormonkFull MemberHas been quite a boring year for purchases this year, LOTS of different saddles, none of which has really been a game changer although the cheap carbon railed Fizik Aliante R1 I found is a lovely thing, shame it went on the winter bike!
Schwalbe studded winter tyres actually might be the most exciting thing I bought, allowed me to get out for some pretty magical frosty morning rides that would have been spent on the turbo otherwise, that’s worth £70 on my book!
Also a Komoot premium subscription, really enjoying the ‘Collections’ feature which gives me somewhere to write up routes and add photos etc. with a view to sharing at some point.
BadlyWiredDogFull MemberTwo things. First was the SQ Lab 614 gravel saddle, basically their 612 road saddle shape with the padding from the mountain bike. Brilliantly comfortable for me, takes all the pressure off the central area, have that ‘Active’ elastomer thing going on so the rear of the saddle flexes, which seem – for me at least – to make it easier on the lower back. Just genius, also have SQ Lab saddles on my mountain bikes.
Second, just reminded by the ST Editor’s Choice stuff of the year article, was the Vittoria Air Liner Tool MTB. I don’t usually have issues with tyre removal, but the WTB Scraper rims on my hardtail have a tendency to basically weld themselves to whatever tyre is fitted. Absolutely nightmarish to break the bead/rim seal, even with standing on the bead etc.
The Vittoria tool got a bastard, stuck 2.8 Rekon off in a matter of minutes. I wouldn’t use it for anything else, but for really, really stubborn ‘ might have to cut this off – tyres, the thing is absolutely brilliant.
captaintomoFree MemberTwo purchases stand out for me. Firstly a pair of Five Ten Sam Hill Impact shoes I got for about £35 from Evans. I did seriously wonder what the hell I was doing at first as they are bulky but my god they have been the most comfy pair of shoes that I have ever worn while cycling. Ended up using them daily.
Schwalbe Super Moto tyres from banana industries for about £14 each. They look like motorbike tyres and allow you to really lean your bike into corners. Makes you feel like Rossi on your commutes.
1solariderFree MemberMy Atherton A130.
Great people, UK manufacturing, brilliant tech and a sublime ride.
Very hard to fault.
1TiRedFull Memberthe cheap carbon railed Fizik Aliante R1 I found is a lovely thing, shame it went on the winter bike!
Mine too! Used for £30 off a long-suffering club mate. Can’t use it on my titanium seat post on the Enigma due to the ovoid shape of the rails
ayjaydoubleyouFull MemberFox union boa flat pedal
Best shoe I’ve ever had:
Comfort
double boa allows dialling in (pun, haha) your fit/tightness perfectly. tongue doesn’t slip around like my previous shoes
fit overall is I guess subjective, but if you get on with most other skate style mtb shoes, these are equally good if not better.
Performance
Never slipped a pedal, so they are grippy enough, they are notably stiff underfoot for power transfer and thus all day usability which for me (trail rider) is far more desirable than a floppy uber soft sole for maximum grip like a DHer or BMXer might prefer
Durability
Worn for every ride since I got them early spring, no marks to the sole so already can determine they are far more durable than 5:10s where I’d just about eke them out for a year.
UK friendlyness
boa closure rather than laces, and a water resistant upper means they are practically unaffected by mud in use and you dont have to unpick muddy laces with frozen fingers.
water resistant means if they are really filthy I might give them a quick blast with the hose while doing the bike. at this point my socks are wet and about to be removed anyway.
worn in just-above-freezing temperatures this winter (and some 30+ temps this summer) and comfortable in both.
highlandmanFree MemberEndura MT500 Spray trousers that I bought last winter. Water resistant, some breathability and a good vent setup. Fit is spot on for me, they don’t sag at the back or crotch and there’s room for pads inside as well as having a close fit above shoes, keeping some dirt and water out.
But the key thing is the really wide range of conditions that they’re appropriate for; everything from a cold, frosty Highland morning to heavy rain on a windy local hilltop last night at 6-7C. Alpine pass at 3000m in September; dusting of snow and a biting breeze? Absolutely fine. Love them; bought a second pair.
sharkattackFull MemberFox X2 shock and 38 factory fork way better than rockshox IMO
Come back after the X2 has dropped it’s guts a few times.
I’ve also got the Fox Union shoes and they’re a favourite but not the boa version. Currently very reduced on Sports Pursuit but only in small and large sizes.
Also went from an Ohlins 36 to a 38 and they’re both the best air forks I’ve ever used. They make my Lyrik ultimate feel crap in comparison.
1mtbfixFull MemberThe only thing I bought this year that wasn’t a like for like replacement part was a Hope dropper lever. X3 more than I’ve ever spent on such a thing but lovely to use and vastly better than the BrandX one it replaced.
1chakapingFull MemberRight, I’ve remembered my other noteworthy product of the year – the TruTune magic air volume widget I got for my 180mm RS Zeb fork.
The fork had been OK before, but very reluctant to get into the far reaches of its travel and also a little stiff off the top.
I was genuinely surprised how much better it was with the TruTune cartridge. Tracks the ground much more smoothly, feels more linear and uses it’s travel more freely while also feeling more predictable and supportive overall.
It cost me £70-odd and that might seem steep for a glorified fork token, but compared to the £300 coil conversion I was eyeing it’s a (much lighter) bargain.
So that’s my product of the year, actually.
oceanskipperFull MemberSRAM Pro Piston Press tool. It has become my go to tool for ensuring pistons are fully retracted prior to any adjustments/routine maintenance and allows me to eliminate squeal caused by poorly aligned callipers/irregular piston advancement.
That and Continental GP5000S tyres. They’re amazingly good. Easy to mount and setup tubeless, fast, grippy and comfortable. They could do with lasting a bit longer but meh…
b33k34Full Memberassuming that’s the outlier pedals what’s the total landed cost looking like? I reckon on about £230?
1ngnmFull MemberI’ve also ordered a pair of the Pendulum pedals but they’re not for me!
My best purchase has been J-Tech custom tuning for the suspension on my eeb and on the DH bike (Ohlins coils on both, RXF38s on eeb and DH38s on DH bike). The Ohlins default shim stack is far too heavy for me (I’m 52kg) and having the suspension tuned has completely transformed it — uber poppy but also supportive and calm where it needs to be.
The second best purchase would be a DT Swiss 240 rear hub to replace the rubbish Hope Pro 5 hub (candidate for worst purchase of the year) that I spent 9 months fighting with. I know a lot of people really like Hope so I’m assuming the hub I had was just a lemon!
tomhowardFull Memberassuming that’s the outlier pedals what’s the total landed cost looking like?
£190 plus whatever HMRC slap on. Will be a while before they arrive though so no idea on any extras
Mounty_73Full MemberThe last cycling related item I bought was the Endura Gv500 insulated jacket, great for mechanical issues, coffee stops, view stops etc. A bit to warm to actually ride in, but it packs up so small.
BadlyWiredDogFull MemberIn the ongoing spirit of things you forgot to include in your first post, I also bought one of the Tailfin top-tube bags for my Camino and it’s brilliant. Straps are incredibly secure and stable, bag is really nicely made – the flip-top one – and contoured so it doesn’t interfere with pedalling. Ideal for a phone and a few snacks. Surprisingly water-tight too. Just really good kit.
AlexFull Member@highlandman – do they fit to size? I’m normally a “M” in Endura – tops/shorts and Leisure Lakes have some on offer. I really rate my three year old and still going strong Troy Lee Skyline troons. So much so I bought the waterproof version and it’s a rubbish fit for me- too wide at the waist and a bit baggy everywhere else, so in the market for a pair that I can use through the winter…
1sharkattackFull MemberThe second best purchase would be a DT Swiss 240 rear hub to replace the rubbish Hope Pro 5 hub (candidate for worst purchase of the year) that I spent 9 months fighting with
How can you spend 9 months fighting with a hub that has about 10 parts in it? It either works or it doesn’t and if it doesn’t they’ll replace it.
I’ve been riding them all year, no issues.
kiwijohnFull MemberApart from some big upgrades like a 38 & AXS, the best has been Funn Fast Air valves.
No more blocked or broken Presta valve cores.thecaptainFree MemberSanta Cruz Stigmata gravel bikes (pair of, for my wife and I). Wow, who knew gravel bikes had come so far?
To be fair we didn’t buy a lot else bike-related last year and her dad had just popped his clogs so she deserved a bit of cheering up (plus, is coming into enough money to pay for them, though that’s a long and tedious process…).
matt_outandaboutFree MemberI’ve changed my mind: my Polaris merino and synthetic ‘flip’ top is all the shizzles and has been worn loads on hill and rides this year.
stevenmenmuirFree MemberNot cycling specific but the Darn Tough socks I got are the best socks ever. And I’ve had a lot of socks!
ngnmFull MemberHow can you spend 9 months fighting with a hub that has about 10 parts in it? It either works or it doesn’t and if it doesn’t they’ll replace it.
I’ve been riding them all year, no issues.
Because it took 8 months to diagnose that the hub was the root of the (admittedly bizarre) issue the bike was having and then another month of trying everything to fix it before I lost patience and bought the DT . The very (very very) short story is that I ride an ebike with a rotor magnet, and the Hope hub + rotor magnet causes a massive throw in the rotor that is so big the caliper can’t be adjusted to stop it rubbing.
Really happy yours have worked so well though! I would say maybe mine is a lemon but a friend got a Hope wheel at the same time as I had mine and has exactly the same problem, though it’s not as extreme as the one I had as his eeb uses a different rotor magnet position.
KucoFull MemberSpecialized Crux, though still not sure on the colour scheme. And the 12 speed cable GRX just works faultlessly.
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