Justcyclingstuff

These full-fingered gloves from Rapha have quite a different feel to any other cycling gloves you might try. Slipping them on you feel like you should be getting ready to drive a classic MG rather than ride a bike. They have a great soft feel, the leather palms in particular are beautifuly made and surprisingly supple. The gloves are thinner and more grippy than most full winter gloves, which definitely helps to give a better feel on the bars and better control of the gears and brakes. Despite the thin construction they are warm enough for most UK autumn and winter conditions, and only when the temperature has been around freezing have I wanted something warmer. There’s not a lot of padding in these gloves, just a small pad on the palm. This suits me as I think it gives a better feel. The gloves also have a close, fitted feel which works well without being constricting or making the gloves difficult to take on and off. The workmanship on these gloves is first rate, with detail...

It’s surprisingly difficult to find a really good pair of reasonably priced plain black bib shorts. The Core range is Rapha’s everyday range (I don’t think you could call it basic) and these shorts are a lot cheaper than Rapha’s other offerings, although still at the expensive end when compared with other brands. They are plain black in colour, with a subtle black-on-black Rapha logo on the side. The overall fit is excellent and the shorts have a quality feel despite being from a supposed “budget” range. I’d describe the Lycra as mid-weight: these aren’t the thinnest or thickest shorts I’ve used. The leg grippers and the bib straps are wide and add to the overall feeling of comfort. The chamois also fits well without feeling over or under padded. They have proved hard wearing with  I’ve used these shorts on all-day 100 mile rides with no issues. These shorts are probably my favourite item of cycle clothing, highly recommended.

So there will be those that say if you are sure you have a correctly sized seatpost for your bike and use the correct torque all will be fine, but sometimes you can do all these things and the post still slips, so what else can you do? Friction paste There are lots of different pastes on the market that are like grease but with some particles added to aid grip. These work well and sort out a lot of slipping issues, but it’s worth noting they are not all the same. Two I have tried are the ones from Park Tool and Finish Line. The Finish Line one is a clear gel with small beads in it. It grips well without marking components, although I have found it can lead to creaking. The Park Tool one has a much finer grain to it and I’ve found it grips very tightly, but it is incredibly abrasive and will take the paint finish off your seatpost if you’re not very careful. Additional seat clamp  This is quite a neat solution that you’ll see the pros use in races like Paris Roubaix. It’s...

These days the likes of Mavic produce some really good wheels that do everything a set of handbuilts can and more, so is there really any good reason to get something built the old fashioned way? Well, a lot of it depends on what you really want to get from the wheels beyond things like weight and stiffness. Objectively, whilst most forum discussions on wheels will quickly get to someone suggesting "get some handbuilts mate", factory-built wheels do a perfectly good job and for a lot of people will be a good choice. There is, however, a certain satisfaction in a component put together by hand rather than in a factory, and handbuilt wheels are typically built with standard spokes and with more spokes per wheel which makes them easier to maintain. If you invest in wheels with good hubs they will typically outlast the rims which can then be replaced. This brings us to these Hope wheels, at the heart of which are the RS4 hubs. The Hubs Hope don't make things...

This jacket from Rapha is somewhere between a windproof and a thicker winter jacket. There are a few different elements to the construction. There is insulated material on the chest, back and arms, a breathable polyester under the arms and a thin showerproof fabric on the lower back and the lower torso. The fit is close and it’s quite short at the front, but it works well on the bike. There are a variety  of colours and I like the visibility on the yellow version. There are no rear pockets as it’s designed to be worn over a jersey. All this adds up to a jacket that is suprisingly breathable whilst able to shrug off the odd shower. This really adds to the usability of the jacket and I’ve found that I’ve used it more than I thought I would.  However, one thing I have noticed is it’s not as warm as you might expect on really cold days. The insulated fabric is good at keeping you warm at the cafe but doesn’t really stop the cold wind from getting through. An extra base la...

So what do you get for the cyclist in your life if a bumper pack of energy gels won't quite cut it? Chain link cuff links Subtle and not (too) cycle-geeky   www.recycleandbicycle.co.uk Road ID bracelet Quite romantic in a way, as the person you buy it for will always have your name and number on their wrist. Less romantic is the reason for it is so the paramedics know who to call if that person  crashes their bike and knocks themselves unconscious. www.roadid.com Personalized top cap If you're reading this as a non-cyclist then the top cap is the circular bit on top of the steering tube, so you spend a lot of time looking at it when you're riding. Putting a personal message or picture on there is a nice touch. www.kapz.com Socks It may sound like a boring present but cyclists love socks, especially really nice ones like these. www.rapha.co.uk www.pongolondon.cc