It has been a sweltering week here in the UK, but it looks like the weather might be about to turn cooler and wetter again. No doubt the sunshine will be back again at some point, though.
With that in mind, it’s a perfect time to revisit our essential tips for riding in hot weather. Endless hours of summer sun can be great in theory, after all, and less fun in practice, especially if you’re not properly prepared.
Continuing on the summer cycling theme, we published our last few bits of Tour de France content this week, taking a look at every bike to win a stage at this year’s race and comparing Mark Cavendish’s latest green jersey-winning bike to his first from 2011.
We also wrapped up our Tour de France podcast series by taking a look back at the 2021 race and dishing out some awards, including the best rider, surprise package, stage and bike, as well as the biggest tech fails and disappointments.
And if the Tour has inspired you to get out on the bike, it’s a good idea to check you’re wearing your helmet correctly in our guide.
Shimano S-Phyre RC-902 cycling shoes
Launched last September, the S-Phyre RC902 is Shimano’s latest top of the range road cycling shoe.
The S-Phyre RC902 has all the features you’d expect of a top of the range cycling shoe, with a super-stiff carbon sole, a highly adjustable fit, good ventilation and reasonably low weight (538g for our pair of size EU45s).
There's also a very comprehensive range of sizes available, plus a wide-fit option, and in terms of colours, you can have red, white, black or blue.
However, they also have a price tag to match, costing £319.
Shimano has earned a reputation for making excellent cycling shoes at all price points in recent years, and the previous generation of this shoe scored a perfect five stars. Will this halo version keep its place atop our list of the best road cycling shoes? We’re looking forward to finding out.
Bont Motion cycling shoes
Though Bont is perhaps most strongly associated with expensive, stiffer-than-anything-else racing shoes, it also makes top-performing entry-level models.
The Riot cycling shoe, for example, comes in well under £100 yet offers performance that matches up very well to pricier models such as the Zero+ or Vaypor S.
Bont’s latest value offering, the Motion, simplifies the closure system by using Velcro straps in place of dials or ratchets. Although these don't offer the fine, on-the-fly adjustability of dials or ratchets, the straps probably make the profile of the shoe slightly more aerodynamic (if that concerns you).
To find cost savings, the Motion uses a fibreglass, rather than carbon, sole construction. Given Bont’s reputation for making absurdly stiff-soled shoes, though, I’d be surprised if these offered much in the way of flex, even at this price point.
This does add a little weight, however, with our size EU45 sample pair tipping the scales at 675g.
Available in black or white, and a wide range of sizes, the Motion has an RRP of just £80.
CloseTheGap HideMyBell Regular 2
A bell is a must-have accessory for anyone who uses cycle paths, but putting one on your posh racing bike isn’t always a straightforward decision. CloseTheGap might have the solution, though.
The HideMyBell is a neat little cycling computer mount with an integrated bell.
There are plenty of designs and mounts to fit all different types of bike and computer, and the bell offers a crisp and pleasant ring.
A universal mount for front bike lights can also be attached, to further tidy up the front end of your bike without compromising safety.
The Regular 2 model we have here costs £36 and weighs just 48g. All things considered, this looks like a very smart and practical solution to adding accessories to the front end of a road bike.
