This has been a bumper year of testing for me – at my last count, I’ve been hands-on with more than 100 products in 2024, so there was plenty to choose from for my Gear of the Year selection.
At least, that’s what I thought. When I look back, there have been lots of good-to-very-good products, but none have earned a coveted 5-star rating (I’m a stickler for this – they’ll have to hoist a flag on top of BikeRadar Towers when I do eventually offer up a perfect score).
There were very few things I reviewed in 2024 that I’d consider real stand-outs.
So, it speaks volumes that I’ve owned one of my Gear of the Year picks for three years. I’ve also found space for a new fixture on my bike, plus two products have arguably set new standards by which I’ll measure competitors in the future.
Without further ado, and wishing you a very Merry Christmas, let’s dive in.
Garmin Edge 830
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I’ve had my Garmin Edge 830 for the better part of three years now, and I’ve never seriously considered upgrading.
For many, that might not seem like such a long time, but it’s worth bearing in mind that I’ve stuck with it – by choice – despite having been exposed to the latest flagship bike computers over the last couple of years.
The Garmin Edge 1040 Solar and 840 Solar came through the office in 2022 and 2023 respectively, but aside from the implementation of the solar-charging tech, I couldn’t really see what I’d gain by switching to them.
This year, I put my resolve to the test by reviewing the latest Garmin Edge 1050 and Wahoo Elemnt Ace computers (plus tried out what many consider to be the hegemonic challenger, the Hammerhead Karoo 3). All are very good flagship computers, but still don't tempt me into upgrading.
As is the case with most tech purchases, it usually makes no sense to buy a product then upgrade to the latest version as soon as it arrives. With bike computers, it appears (for me, at least) that I’ll need to see a real step-change in performance or usability before I consider switching.
Judging from many comments I’ve seen, I wonder if more and more features aren’t the answer for brands going forward, but instead packaging and refining them in a more appealing shell is the way to go.
An edge-to-edge screen in a unit the size of an Edge 830? Now, that I’d be interested in.
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Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR tyre
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The Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR tyre earns a spot, on the basis that it’s one of the few ‘consumable’ products to really stand out in testing this year.
This tyre wasn’t around when we put the latest fast road tyres to the sword in the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub’s rolling resistance torture chamber in 2023. More’s the pity, because I’d love to know how it stacks up against the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR.
But, every feelable facet of the tyre’s performance is just as good as the fastest road bike tyres – and at £61.99 / €69.99, it’s (a little) cheaper than the lot of them.
After testing this summer, I carried on using the tyres, and subsequently loaned the bike I had them installed on to a friend for a month. I’ve not seen any excess wear, nor experienced any punctures.
This is a far more meaningful reflection than it might have been in the summer, now the tyres have over 2,000km of use clocked – half of their claimed shelf life.
In a market where there are more ‘good’ options than many will ever consider, the Hutchinson Blackbird Racing Lab TLR is arguably the most compelling rival to your current high-performance tyre of choice.
The lack of a 700x32c option (at least) still bothers me… but while wheels and tyres get ever wider, I’m not planning on going that wide in the summer just yet.
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Hunt 50 Carbon Disc wheelset
Of all the sub-£1,000 carbon wheelsets I tested in 2024, the newly updated Hunt 50 Carbon Disc was my pick of the bunch.
A progressive 22mm internal rim width, combined with a wide 30mm external profile, set the stage for a test-winning performance.
It feels fast and agile, yet stable in crosswinds, and as lively and entertaining as far more expensive wheels. It can even hold a candle to many more expensive wheelsets in terms of enviable ride quality.
It also packs in a ratchet-based freehub – once the preserve of wheels costing twice or thrice as much.
The 50 Carbon Disc has since supplanted Hunt's 54 Aerodynamicist Carbon Disc as my testing performance wheelset of choice.
In short, I couldn’t work out why anyone looking for the best deal on road bike wheels would spend any more than its £799 / $999 / €999 asking price.
Lezyne Saddle Ai Alert 250 Rear light
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The Lezyne Saddle Ai Alert 250 Rear is the only permanent installation I’ve made to my own bike this year – and I’m very pleased with it.
Principally, this is because it offers me a ‘get out of jail free’ card whenever I’ve forgotten to charge my regular rear light.
It fits to the bike’s saddle rails, and you have a choice of mounting it in a dropped position, or as I have, in a raised spot so it fills the cavity of your saddle’s underside.
Not all saddles will accept this higher positioning due to a lack of space, of course, while mine is right on the limit given how far forward I have my saddle set. But it fits, and it offers a nifty little light that can be seen even when I’ve got my saddle bag fitted.
It’s no Mickey Mouse affair though – it’ll spurt out up to 250 lumens on the punchiest Day Flash mode or when the Active Alert sensor setting is activated, but perhaps more pertinently will last up to 60 hours if I use the 10-lumen Femto flash mode.
So far, its main strength is its greatest flaw: it tucks away nicely, but that makes removing it from the bracket for charging and refitting it a little challenging, given the USB-C port is hidden inside.
You can’t have everything, I suppose…
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