Thanks for tuning in to another First Look Friday as we recap our highlights from the past seven days and serve up some tempting tech treats.
The week kicked off with a glut of Velofollies updates from our intrepid digital editor Jack Luke in Belgium. After bringing us news of Cinelli's new Nemo Tig Gravel bike, Jack concluded that Velofollies has usurped Eurobike as the king of cycling shows.
I chipped in with a news story of my own, covering Pashley's bold new range of all-road bikes.
George Scott followed up, reporting that Cannondale’s 2025 SuperSix Evo Team Edition is now available for humble pro cycling fans to buy.
Leaping on the leak of a new SRAM Force AXS groupset, Simon von Bromley unpacked three things we know about this closely guarded new road groupset – and one we don't.
Alongside news of a handy browser extension that can unlock premium-level Strava insights, Liam Cahill brought us his findings after testing the new gravel wheel standard – 750d. We also shared an eye-catching deal that reduces the price of Shimano Ultegra by 47 per cent.
Rob Weaver pitted two cutting-edge eMTBS head to head, concluding that the Amflow PL's Avinox unit is the ebike motor of the future but the bike can't quite match the performance of White's ELyte EVO Stag Works. In other off-road news, our MTB writers rounded up the seven worst upgrades they've ever made to their bikes.
There were plenty more reviews, features and buyer's guides dotted throughout yet another bumper week on BikeRadar, but let's get on to the tech.
HT PK02 Carbon pedals
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HT pedals are well-known in mountain bike circles, with Aaron Gwin riding the HT X2 pedal to World Cup success. On the road, HT’s original PK01 has remained unchanged since its launch in 2013. The PK01, with titanium axles, weighed in at only 199g a pair. HT tells us a lightweight Ti-axle model is on the way later in the year.
With the new PK02, HT has upgraded the carbon fibre body with a new large 760mm2 stainless steel contact plate, adding hard-wearing protection to a lightweight design.
The body spins on 2x C2 sealed cartridge bearings and DU bushings.
The new carbon pedal comes with a hollow steel axle and tips the scales at 226g, beating out both Shimano’s Dura-Ace pedals at 228g (£235 / $280) and Look's Keo Blade Ceramic at 232g (£200 / $252). The PK02s are also significantly cheaper than both, at £99.99 / $140 / €140, with replacement cleats costing £11.99 and options available for H5 (4.5-degree float) or H7 (0-degree float) cleats. The cleats weigh in at 48g a pair.
HT offers a reinforced composite version of the PK02 that weighs in lighter than Shimano 105 at 249g.
- £69.99
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Chrome Storm 415 Tallboy boots
I’m a big fan of Chrome’s original 415 Storm boots. With the combination of soft (waterproofed) leather and a vulcanized outsole, they keep the elements at bay while keeping my feet toasty warm.
These new Tallboy boots take the same sturdy construction and add a chunkier new outsole from Panaracer. The tyre brand has collaborated with Chrome on outsoles for several seasons.
The difference between these and the previous Storm 415 is a new taller profile, with nine lace holes compared to the standard 415’s six. That makes them a bit better at keeping the rain at bay, especially when wearing DWR-coated urban trousers such as Chrome’s Brannan.
A new breathable liner should help prevent your feet getting overly hot and cushioned footbeds make these walkable and pedal-ready.
This stylishly, stealthy all-black boot has reflective filaments in the laces for a small nod to nighttime visibility.
- £195 / $175 / €235
Hiru winter clothing
Spanish clothing brand Hiru’s new line of winter clothing for road and gravel offers understated designs with a great mix of technical and natural fabrics. I tried a few pieces from Hiru a couple of seasons back on a winter excursion to Spain and came away so impressed that I was itching to try out their newest kit.
Hiru Thermal Merino baselayer
This soft and supple long-sleeve baselayer is 45 per cent Merino wool, combined with man-made fibres and elastane for a second-skin fit. It should make the foundation for a full-winter layering system to keep you comfortable and warm.
The thermal baselayer is available in XXS/XS, S/M and L/XL.
- £79 / $105 / €79
Hiru Advanced Thermal bib tights
These Advanced Thermal bibs are made from a fleece-lined polyamide with a DWR treatment to repel road spray and light rain. Broad non-slip elastic straps hold them in place and there’s a high front panel and mesh back to add winter protection.
Inside, there’s an Elastic Interface Omega chamois that's designed specifically for Hiru. The chamois’ 200kg/m3 padding is designed to bring comfort and cushioning for long winter endurance rides.
They are available in black or 'ocean green' (pictured) in both men's and women's versions and sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL.
- £129 / $209 / €129
Hiru Merino socks
Hiru's 18cm-tall socks are made from a blend of Merino yarn and elastane for a close fit. These should keep your feet warm through winter, with an added bit of luxury.
They're available in sizes S (35-37), M (38-42) and L (43-47).
- £15 / $25 / €15
Hiru Light Long gloves
I prefer my winter gloves to be on the lighter side, with a bit more feel rather than extra padding.
The Light Long gloves look like just the ticket. The palms are 3D-moulded, multi-density and highly elastic for a close fit. They feature a pad made by Elastic Interface, best known for its superior chamois pads.
The outer surface is roughened, which Hiru describes as the ideal gravel grip. The backs of the gloves are made from ETT Hexagon fabric that has a 3D surface area to aid wind resistance and help trap warmth.
Add in reflective details and a close-fit neoprene-like cuff and these look like great gloves for cool-weather winter gravel riding.
They're available in sizes XXS, XS, S, M, L and XL.
- £69 / $105 / €69
Hiru Advanced Merino long-sleeve jersey
The Advanced jersey blends Merino with a mixed polyester for a warm, antibacterial, anti-odour and temperature-regulating jersey. There are plenty of great details from the full-length YKK Vislon zip and a front-zipped security pocket. At the rear, there are two large reinforced cargo pockets and twin small pockets on the hips.
It is available in men's and women's versions, in sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL, and sand (pictured) or orange colourways.
- £129 / $209 / €129
Hiru LAB Rain jacket
The LAB jacket is made from eVent DVStorm fabric and has a water column rating of 30,000mm, but it is claimed to be more breathable than Gore-Tex. That’s because the eVent membrane is PU-free, making it more open and better suited to higher-intensity exercise. Ideal for cycling then.
The lightweight fabric is DWR-coated and comes with fully taped seams. eVent DVStorm requires a little more care than sturdy Gore-Tex fabrics, however, so I’ll be sure to keep the LAB jacket clean and use a DWR spray to revive it once in a while.
The jacket is minimal in features and has a racy cut (so sizing up is worth thinking about). But it has a waterproof double-slider zip, taped seams, a drop tail and lots of reflective details.
It's only available in Orange, in both men's and women's versions, and in sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL.
- £199 / $295 / €199
Hunt Limitless 40 Gravel Aero UD Carbon Spoke wheels
Hunt’s Limitless wheels have impressed me on the road, so I’m excited to try out the West Sussex manufacturer's new aerodynamic gravel wheels.
Using the research and development lessons learned from the road with the latest-generation Limitless design and applying them to these new off-road specials could bring some interesting performance gains.
Unlike the previous-generation Limitless Gravel wheels, these new wheels come with different-sized rims front and rear, and are designed to work better with the current trend towards larger tyres, while maintaining optimal performance with tyres between 40-45mm. All of the development and wind-tunnel testing was performed with Schwalbe G-One tyres in 40 and 45mm widths.
The front and rear rims share a similar profile, although the front and rear are different from each other – the front rim is 40mm deep, 36mm wide and has a 27mm internal width. The rear is 41mm deep, 35mm wide and has a 26mm internal width.
Hunt claims this differential design maximises the aero benefit across the bike, while minimising mass.
With a claimed weight of only 1,328g a pair for the carbon-spoke version, that’s on the very light side for 40mm-deep gravel wheels.
The standard spoke versions weigh a little more, at 1,431g a pair.
By comparison, Zipp’s 303 XPLR SW wheelset, at 40mm deep and a massive 32mm wide internally, weighs in at 1,496g (£1,600 / $2,100 / €1,800), and the more modest 303 XPLR S 1,610g (£1,100 / $1,400 / €1,200).
- £1,849 / $2,279 / €2,279 carbon spokes, CeramicSpeed bearings
- £1,470 / $1,849 / €1,849 standard spokes
