As surely as day turns to night, the autumn season is upon us here at BikeRadar, which means the nights are starting to draw in.
That means I’ve got two seasonally appropriate accessories to show off this week, among the obligatory shiny-shiny products many love to drool over.
But first, let’s recap the latest cycling content we’ve published this week.
On Monday, Kai Eves’ final update for his Orbea Laufey long-termer review bike went live, before news broke of Bosch updating one of the most powerful ebike motors in its stable: the Performance Line CX.
Tuesday saw Tom Marvin cover Santa Cruz’s new Vala eMTB, while Oscar Huckle ran the rule over Gore’s new 3D-printed bib shorts.
Contributor Charlie Allenby then told us how mixed-terrain ultra-distance events are the next big thing for those looking for a challenge, and Simon von Bromley explained why waterproof jackets can’t be waterproof and breathable at the same time.
Finally, yesterday saw Oscar’s review of Pinarello’s racy endurance bike, the Dogma X, hit the homepage, alongside Luke Marshall’s first ride review of the new Orbea Wild electric mountain bike.
There's plenty more to come today and over the weekend, but for now, check out some of the hottest new stuff to have arrived at BikeRadar base.
DMT Pogi's Shoes
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The monikers given to shoes are a mixed bunch – S-Phyre, Shot, Velocis and Torch, to name a few – but DMT calls these simply “Pogi’s Shoes”.
Named after the 2024 Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and World Championship road race winner, these are the kicks Tadej Pogaçar wears.
They feature a knitted ‘Aeroflex’ upper, which DMT claims offers high breathability, comfort and a wraparound fit. The latter is said to be improved by the use of a flexible collar.
A pulley closure system fastens the shoe down around the foot, with the mechanism hidden under the tongue. DMT says the knit structure is made of a one-piece seamless construction, designed to avoid pressure points.
Naturally, the shoes feature DMT’s stiffest Aerated SL carbon sole, with cleat holes that are positioned reasonably far back on the footplate. The holes have 8mm of fore and aft adjustability – a boon for anyone with exacting fit requirements.
The sole is protected by toe and heel bumpers, with mesh inserts for airflow.
The shoe also sees NFC technology included, whereby an in-built tag can store emergency medical and contact information in the event of a crash.
They are available in Pogaçar’s favoured white, as pictured, or in black.
- £369.99 / $519.99 / €409
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Campagnolo HPPM power meter
Campagnolo’s first power meter – the HPPM (High Precision Power Measurement) – is in for testing.
The brand surprised us at launch with its spider-based design, although with Super Record S Wireless now on the market, Campagnolo’s compatibility strategy is clearer.
Our test model has Super Record Wireless cranks, although the power meter can also be bought with Super Record S Wireless cranks.
The spider features 16 sensors distributed equally across four quadrants, which when combined with a Wheatstone bridge electrical circuit design, contribute to the power meter’s claimed +/- 1 per cent accuracy.
Arguably, by way of overcompensation to guarantee this accuracy in normal use, Campagnolo says the power meter features internal temperature compensation, across a range of -20˚C (-4˚F) to 60˚C (140˚F).
Campagnolo says the HPPM power meter can measure up to 4,000 watts, although this is far beyond the power even specialist track sprinters can muster, with angular velocity and torque readings taken every 0.005 seconds.
It’s available with all six Super Record S crankset options (29x45, 32x48, 34x50, 36x52, 39x53 and 39x54T) with four crank lengths (165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm).
Meanwhile, the Super Record Wireless-cranked options are available with three chainring combinations (29x45, 32x48 and 34x50T) and three crank arm lengths (170, 172.5 and 175mm).
- £1,989.99 / $2,449 / €2,240 (in Super Record WRL configuration)
GripGrab AquaRepel 2 arm warmers
GripGrab says the AquaRepel 2 arm warmers are designed to offer protection from the rain, as well as the chill of autumnal (and spring) weather.
Similar to many waterproof jackets, the front-facing sections feature a three-layer fabric with a breathable membrane.
A DWR (durable water repellent) treatment has been applied across the whole garment to help repel water, which is PFC (perfluorocarbon) free.
The rear side is backed by a fleece layer for warmth.
GripGrab says these second-generation AquaRepel arm warmers see an updated shape, with four-way stretch, which is claimed to improve fit and comfort.
Silicone grippers are designed to keep them fixed in position.
- £50 / $60 / €55
Limar Cruz photochromic sunglasses
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The Limar Cruz are among our favourite cycling sunglasses, scoring 4.5 stars in our latest tests in 2024.
We liked that the glasses offered clear and unobstructed vision, with a hard case and cleaning cloth supplied, alongside a spare lens for low-light conditions.
However, photochromic lenses are worth their weight in gold if you don’t want to fuss with swapping lenses in the changeable three-season weather.
The photochromic Limar Cruz therefore comes with only a single lens, but this can transition from offering 80 per cent light transmission down to 17 per cent.
This plain non-reflective lens is available with a black frame, alongside a lightly reflective lensed version with a transparent frame.
- £98 / €137.65
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Oxford Mint Workshop Apron
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The Oxford Mint Workshop Apron might not smell of mint, but it’s a practical piece of clothing should you be keen on fettling.
It’s made of a tough polyester and cotton mix construction designed to withstand water and oil-based splashes, and has an adjustable buckle on the back to make whipping it on and off easier.
A large storage pocket on the front holds your main job tools, while four smaller pockets above it help to organise those bits and pieces you always find yourself reaching for.
I’ll be ditching my old kitchen apron, then…
- £19.99
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