I’m the first to admit that my tastes in bike tech fall into the realms of nicheness on occasion, and my five favourite bikes and bits of gear from 2017 are no exception.
- Jack Luke's go-to gear and kit: 6 favourites
- Cycling gifts: the ultimate Christmas gift guide for cyclists
Orbit twin tandem
I bought a tandem earlier this year and I’ve have had more fun riding it with my girlfriend than I’ve had on any other bike.
#Cecilthetandem is a burgundy, circa ‘99 Orbit Twin, with clearances for mammoth tyres, roughly one zillion braze-ons and a positive can-do attitude.
We’ve used the tandem for all sorts of daft rides this year, including Laura's first century, which was a very wet and grimy affair.
As well as being an absolute delight to ride, we look damn cute aboard Cecil and the amount of Instagram fodder he's produced is unsurpassed.
Buying the tandem has also given me a chance to obsess over all sorts of super nerdy tandem techiness — from how to service an Arai drum brake to rekindling my love for the much neglected triple chainset, the experience has been super interesting and I can’t wait to spend more time aboard Cecil next year.
- Like the sound of tandeming? Why not speak to Tandems UK about getting your own, or do as we did and pick up a bargain on eBay!
Our favourite road/gravel products of 2017
Runwell Aqualia 15mm spanner
Despite having only been in my possession for a few weeks, this incredibly handsome 15mm ring spanner from Runwell Japan has already taken pride of place in my tool roll.
Arriving just as I received a glut of fixies for review, this impeccably-designed spanner loosens and tightens 15mm axle nuts more quickly than I could ever have hoped.
- ¥2,300 / £23
- Buy direct or from Tokyobike in the UK
POC Octal X helmet
The POC Octal has become something of a modern classic and is one of the most popular lids among testers here at BikeRadar.
The Octal X is a slightly burlier version of the road helmet. It includes POC’s ‘aramid bridge’ technology, which in the brand's words “adds structural rigidity and guards against impact penetration,” and is designed primarily for XC racing.
Just like the road helmet it is based on, the Octal X is incredibly airy, light and comfortable.
Naturally I went for the brightest helmet that POC offers. Not only does this fit in with my favoured clashing aesthetic; it adds a degree of hi-vis, which is always welcome on the road.
- £235 / $260 / €280 / AU$TBC
- Buy the POC Octal X from Chain Reaction Cycles
Brynje base layers
Without doubt the least sexy addition to my wardrobe this year has to be these sleeveless Brynje mesh base layers.
What they lack in attractiveness, they more than make up with performance — the base layers were used on the first ascent of Everest and are estimated to still be used by approximately 90 percent of professional Polar expeditions today.
On the bike, the pocket of air that the thick, totally non-absorbent polyurethane ‘weave’ creates does a superb job of keeping you warm in chilly weather, but also allows you to quickly ‘dump’ excess heat by opening your jersey.
There is also a Merino version for those who are allergic to or don’t like the feel of synthetic fabrics.
If I could recommend you try anything from this list (it’s not realistic to expect you to all go out and buy a tandem), it has to be one of these. They’ve revolutionised my cycling wardrobe and I now won’t be found doing anything outside without one on.
And giving credit where it’s due, I was first alerted to these base layers via Andy Kirpatrick’s article on keeping warm on UK Climbing, which is a seriously worthwhile read for any outdoors sportsperson.
- Brynje Super Thermo C-Shirt: £27 / €29.90 / $29 / AU$45
- Brynje Super Micro C-Shirt: £22.99 / €25.90 / $25 / AU$39
Orbea Katu cargo bike
Bike wise, I’ve spent a lot of time this year on some really lovely bikes — highlights include the Neilpryde Bura, the Fairlight Strael and recently, the Surly Steamroller, but it speaks volumes that this dinky cargo bike has made the list.
While attending the launch of the Orbea Gain e-road bike I had the chance to ride the Katu, a funky little 20in-wheeled cargo bike from the Basque brand.
Although I was only on the Katu for a very short time, it was enough to seriously impress me — the dinky bike is an absolute hoot to ride, but oozes genuine practicality, with a cavernous basket up front alongside mudguards and dynamo lights fitted to most models.
The one-size-fits-all bike starts at £349 for a super basic singlespeed model, rising to £2,499 for the very fanciest electric version of the bike.
You can read more on what I thought of the bike in my first ride review.
