Bike
Planet X Exocet 2
The original Exocet was a true master of the tri bike world. Can the Exocet 2 meet the standards set by its elder brother?
Giro Selector
The Giro Selector is one mean-looking helmet, one that wouldn’t look out of place at a Star Wars convention! The most innovative feature is an interchangeable lower section. The idea is to increase the aero advantage to a wider range of users by closing the gap between the bottom of the helmet and the top […]
Northwave Tribute
We’ve been fans of Northwave’s mountain bike shoes for off-season training for a while and were looking forward to seeing if their latest tri-specific shoes would deliver too. All the must-have features for a top-end shoe are present, inclusing out-to-in straps, oversized heel loops, soft and barefoot-friendly inners, rubber heels and toe bumpers, and plenty […]
Sugoi Hydrolite
The Hydrolite is the perfect jacket to stuff in your pocket on those unpredictable spring rides. You’ll hardly notice it’s there but, come the inevitable downpour, you can smugly whip it out to stay dry and warm. It’s no old style boil in the bag primitive race cape, though. The ‘intelligent fabric’ which activates when […]
Suplest S3
With a definite retro feel to the simple black and white styling, Swiss brand Suplest’s S3 tr shoe certainly delivers in the looks department. Fit was good and, in bare feet, a half size smaller than normal fitted perfectly with plenty of room in the toe box. All of the key tri-race-shoe-specific features are there […]
Louis Garneau Vorttice
When it comes to aero bang for your buck, one of the most prudent purchases you can make is an aero helmet. But sticking an aero lid on won’t instantly make you faster. If you’re not comfortable holding your tuck, tend to bob your head or suffer from overheating on long, hot rides, an aero […]
Gore Bike Wear Oxygen GT AS Jacket
At the Gore-Tex Active Shell launch last year, we were given a prototype jacket to test – and were very impressed. So seeing this breathable waterproof laminate on the market in garments like the Oxygen is exciting indeed. Gore Bike Wear consistently produces superior products from its sister company’s laminates, and this is no exception. […]
Supernova Airstream
Cooled using 20 airflow regulating fins on the body, this light is another piece of German precision engineering. The Airstream’s push button takes you through the four beam intensities in order, ranging from the maximum – using its entire 370 Lumen potential – to an adequate urban light that burns for up to 24hrs. Beam […]
Rolf Prima Carbon Disc
This flat, carbon, tubular tyre disc comes with a titanium hub body and SRAM, Shimano or Campag options. It weighs in at 930g, accelerates quickly and, in the acid test, doesn’t feel draggy uphill. There’s an increasing tendency to design discs with certain frames in mind, so the disc deals optimally with the way air […]
Giro Aeon
Launched this year at the Tour of Flanders, and now with a host of new colour schemes, the Giro Aeon is an incredibly light helmet. At 190g for a small and 222g for a medium, it almost feels flimsy but, in reality, it’s as rugged as Flanders itself and is fully CE certified. Weight has […]
Xplova G3 GPS
The Xplova G3 aims to deliver GPS performance monitoring, route planning and navigation at a bargain price – £200 less than Garmin’s Edge 800 and £55 under its 705. Compared to the 705 – its head-on rival – the G3 is only 9g heavier, has near-identical dimensions and the same size colour screen. Although low […]
Stella Light and Motion Dual
A two-lamp set-up (with one a dedicated spot and the other a wide-ranging flood) that allows infinite tweakability. This means you’re guaranteed to get the perfect beam balance for what you’re doing. Its full power, giving 2.5hrs of burn, is enough for off-road riding and full-paced road training, but not being able to helmet mount […]
Lupine Piko 3
Both the lamp unit and the power pack of the Piko are so compact you’d barely notice them, and it also delivers an impressive lighting punch. The beam is a perfect blend of penetration and flood, allowing confident riding on and off road. You can program the beam levels to give you two, three or […]
Sigma Power LED Evo Pro
Chucking out the most powerful, penetrating and wide-reaching beam on test, the Sigma is a serious light. Breezing through all our ride tests, including the off-road mission, even at its lowest light output it’d be more than adequate for most road-riding situations. Bar mounting is simple and, a better option off road, it can also […]
Moon X Power 500
The Moon is a super compact but super powerful light. Its Over Drive beam is seriously impressive, putting out a far-reaching spot and an even, wide-ranging flood. It’ll give you 1:40hrs of burn at full power, rising to 8hrs at the get-you-home low. In between are two other levels, with the second ideal for most […]
Trelock LS950
The Trelock is a bulky unit to strap to your handlebars and does have a bit of a dated – retro, if we’re being kind – look to it. The mount is also a bit of a fiddly and cheap-feeling fabric strap affair that could be improved upon. However, get past these not insignificant gripes […]
Lumicycle LED 3SI
The Lumicycle light is not as bling as its pricier test-mates but its performance is easily on a par with them. Full beam isn’t far off the Sigma and it has a perfect blend of spot and flood. From the reasonably compact and frame- friendly fabric-clad power pack, you get 3hrs of burn at full […]
One23 Extreme Bright 3
If you’ve followed the 2011 trend for white bike kit, then the One 23 Extreme Bright 3 could provide the final aesthetic finishing touch you’re after. Both the light and power pack score heavily on style and the rubber wrap-around strap makes fitting simple, either to the bars or to the supplied helmet mount. In […]
RSP Asteri 3
Although a neat little unit, the Asteri is surprisingly heavy. But considering it has no external power pack, has a tough waterproof alloy casing and delivers more than the claimed 5hrs at full beam, this can be forgiven. The beam provides good penetration, range and a reasonable flood. It sails through urban commutes, where you […]
Electron Terra 2
This twin light package, primarily because of its individual controls, gives an amazingly versatile set-up. One can be aimed just ahead of your front wheel to take advantage of the flood and pick up potholes, while the other can be fired into the distance. With both blazing full, you still get 5hrs of burn time […]
Busch+Muller Ixon IQ
On the whole, the advent of LEDs and smaller, more powerful rechargeable batteries has shrunk the size of bike lights. Unfortunately the IXON IQ bucks this trend and is a whopper. Much of its size is down to the IQ-Reflector system that uses a large reflector to cast its beam rather than relying on direct […]
Topeak WhiteLite LP
This light from Topeak is a chunky unit. In its defence, it’s undeniably a light for seeing with as well as being seen; is by far the brightest in this price bracket; and rather than just coping with unlit roads, provides enough light on its full well-flooded beam to ride confidently. Its size is largely […]
