The Falke RU3 is a good sock for training, with padding along the bottom and up the heel. As reflected in many run socks these days, this cushioning also extends across the toes. However, on the RU3 it goes much further back to cover the top of most of the forefoot. The heel padding also […]
These are a very thin and minimal sock that most of us would reserve purely for racing in. The material running along the bottom of each sock, across the toes and up the heel is thin – the material running along the top is even thinner. So to say these socks are cool and breathable […]
It’s easy to see why X-Socks are becoming more popular. The left- and right-specific socks have padding at the forefoot, at the heel and across the toes, which of course all adds up to extra comfort, but the pads are not so thick as to hamper the fit of your shoes. The socks grip well […]
Body Glide is of a waxy consistency rather than liquid/gel and comes in a handy stick-type dispenser (like some antiperspirants). The obvious advantage of this is the cleanliness of application and zero risk of it leaking in your car/kit bag and ruining all your clothes or carpets. The downside of the stick is that liberal […]
Brave Soldier is the official skincare supplier to Carmichael training systems in the US, so they should know a thing or two about athletes’ needs. Friction Zone (we tested the £2 sample version but we’d recommend the 180ml product) is their multipurpose skin lubricant and, like all those tested here, is wetsuit friendly; in other […]
The age-old triathlete’s favourite. On the plus side, Baby Oil is widely available, cheap and leaves your skin lovely and smooth. Unfortunately, though, its watery consistency means it inevitably goes everywhere when you’re trying to apply it. It also absorbs too well into your skin and, as a result, offers less protection than the specifically […]
Made on the Isle of Man, Sal Clear Tri Lube has been designed specifically to get triathletes in and out of wetsuits in a hurry. The ingredients are tested so that they won’t affect the neoprene, and consistency is quite thin but not too watery, making precise and localised application easy. In terms of protection […]
Suit Juice would clearly be Captain Planet’s choice of lubricant: biodegradeable, fragrance free, hypoallergenic and containing no animal by-products. It’s even approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Consistency is quite thin but it comes in a neat pump-action bottle, which makes application much less messy than daubing it on by hand, and is the […]
Even though the Topeak is a very slick and stable stand, it still doesn’t quite tick all of our ‘tool’ boxes. That said, coming completely assembled in a balanced carry bag definitely gets it off to a flying start. The wide, quick-release secured tripod base is extremely sturdy and the tall height range (10.5-19cm) will […]
Park has an enviable reputation for bringing industrial-quality workshop gear into your garage. The PCS-11 is certainly sturdy if not as slick as some. For a start it clatters out of the box in bolt-together bits, and even when folded it’s still a big bundle unless you take the head off. The wide-splayed, high-set twin […]
It might look like Russian army surplus but this cheap and cheerful unit is actually bloody good to work with. There’s a bit of bolting it together to be done first, but the finished Y-frame design is rattle free and stable enough to be perfectly safe on flat floors. Mounting the bike is easy: just […]
Tacx’s Cyclespider is stable and nicely made, but a faff to fettle with. Once together, though, it’s light and easy to pack down between uses. You can work either side of the bike or even rotate it completely around, and it’s height-adjustable for tweaking transmission or topside components. A tool tray is included for tools, […]
Minoura’s long-proven workstand is one of the best conventional clamp designs we’ve tested, even if it isn’t the best one they do. It’s not the most stable stand but, as long as the floor is flat and you’re not tinkering with tandems, it should be fine. And even newcomers won’t have any trouble setting it […]
Activate (90g) is a soy bean oil with noticeable additions of peppermint, menthol, lemon rosemary and lemongrass. It’s rather more lotion-like and doesn’t feel quite as luxurious when you’re applying it as some warm-up oils can. But the plus side is that this makes it easier to identify and isolate problem areas, as they can […]
This 100ml bottle is made by the same guys who build turbo trainers, so we assume it’s aimed at cyclists and triathletes. (The instructions aren’t exactly in the Queen’s English, but if you can read Italian perhaps that part makes more sense.) We particularly liked the dispenser system Elite has used: the oil sprays out […]
This 100ml product is marketed specifically as a warming massage oil for use prior to sporting activity in cold and wet weather, and the ‘lively’ smell adds weight to the claim that it’s good to get you in the mood for racing. For an oil it absorbs remarkably well, is cleaner than some and is […]
This oil, which comes in a swishy 500ml pump dispenser, has a really high quality feel to it. It comes out of the dispenser as thin as the other oils on test, but gets thicker as you work with it. The smell was a definite winner with us – it’s reminiscent of a rugby changing […]
Despite the ‘gel’ claim, we were more inclined to call this a lotion. Having said that, it was one of the thinnest lotions we’ve ever come across, and in use it behaves more like an oil, spreading out more quickly than you might expect. Perskindol seems to be aimed at the muscle and joint rub […]
This sawn-off pump is super-portable, but only the astonishingly patient and pectorally blessed will enjoy using it. It’s the shortest pump here, which is lucky as it doesn’t come with a frame mount. But it’s not too heavy at 128g and the twist-lock, twin-valve head is easy to engage. It takes 375 strokes to achieve […]
One of the most expensive mini-pumps around, Blackburn’s AirStik CF is also the easiest to use and the pimpiest. In practical terms, however, there’s nothing that this does that the standard alloy barrelled AirStik (half the price at £19.99 and only 5g more) doesn’t. And at 160g, it’s heavy, too. I was also worried about […]
This stylish retro inflator turned in one of the surprise performances of our tests… but it won’t suit every situation. While weight (104g) and length (23cm) are happily mid-pack, its polished silver and black all-metal construction sets it apart visually. However, the real stand-out feature is that it uses an old school screw-on hose, rather […]
This is a true miniature model of the full-sized Road Master Blaster frame-fit pump, right down to the little tube notches at either end. It’s certainly a cute idea, and at just over 100g and 22.5cm it should stow away unobtrusively. The low-profile bottle cage clip is secure, with a rubber pullover strap for security […]
A very sleek-looking pump, Specialized’s ATM takes patience but does have some nice features. The slim alloy construction looks class and the patch stash (with two glueless patches and sandpaper included), situated in the screw top handle, is a neat touch, especially as it’ll also hold spare chain links or an emergency fiver. It’s under […]
Polypropylene has one of the lowest moisture regains of all modern and classic fibres, which is why the FS260 performed so well under sweaty conditions. The polypropylene/nylon mix allows moisture to wick through the fabric and evaporate easily without leaving you in a cold, sodden top. As a standard medium the sizing felt a little […]
Receive a FREE copy of 'The Ultimate Triathlon Training Manual' when you subscribe and get everything you need to perform at your optimum.
