This has been a year of cycling kit from opposing ends of the price spectrum for me.
I have been fortunate in 2024 to ride in some of the most desirable clothing on the market, but the year has also presented me with one of the best deals available.
It’s been a year where I’ve mostly ridden my bike with mates, and personal circumstances haven’t allowed for anything like the cyclocross racing season I was aiming for.
This has been a refreshing reminder that cycling is best done as a social activity, so I’ll take this chance to share my one and only new year’s resolution: ride bikes with friends more.
That’s quite enough sharing, so here are my picks, from the budget to the bougie.
Pas Normal Mechanism collection
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Despite the giggle-worthy PNS branding, I admire what Pas Normal Studios has achieved. Avoiding pro road racing, the brand has become the most coveted cycling-fashion label through savvy marketing and influencer partnerships.
But Pas Normal isn’t just about image. I’ve been riding in pieces from the brand's Mechanism collection and they’ve been outstanding – especially the shorts. Unlike many modern designs that creep towards the knee, these preserve my tan lines, with a perfect fit that kept them on a wash-and-wear cycle all summer. I simply didn’t want to wear anything else.
The thermal long-sleeve jersey is another standout, with a softness and thickness that's ideal for a variety of UK rides.
However, not everything is perfect. The aero racing jersey is slightly too short, making the pockets hard to access unless you’re incredibly flexible. The sleeves also tend to ride up and the material feels a bit saggy.
Yes, it’s expensive – but Pas Normal has solidified its status as the ultimate chic cycling brand. With unmatched style and quality, it’s clear the brand is winning the fashion race.
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Van Rysel FCR helmet
Oh, does sir/madam have a well-vented and probably decently fast aero helmet that didn’t cost £250? Very demure. Very mindful.
There’s not much more to say about the Van Rysel FCR helmet. It fits comfortably, looks decent, boasts a magnetic buckle and plays nicely with my sunnies.
It even breathes well enough, although like most aero helmets, it struggles when riding up a mountain in 35ºC heat.
It may not be better than any other aero helmet on the market, but it can’t be beaten on value.
Worx Hydroshot 56-BAR cordless power cleaner
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Next up is a product that solves a problem I suspect many cyclists have. My house has no outside water source – an annoying issue suffered by many who live in a flat.
I wanted to be able to wash my bike and, occasionally, the car without resorting to a watering can.
This Worx Hydroshot 56-BAR power cleaner has enough power to get a muddy cyclocross bike clean enough to race after pre-ride. But it’s not as powerful as the jet-wash machines at the petrol station, so I’m less concerned about destroying my bearings.
The main thing, however, is its independence from mains water and power. The 20V 4Ah battery lasts long enough to clean several bikes and it can draw water from any source thanks to a filter on the hose.
I’ve also future-proofed myself to an extent, because the machine can connect to mains water. If, therefore, I move to a house with an outside tap, life will be even easier.
The price of £200 is a lot of money, but given my love of a muddy cyclocross race, I didn’t mind paying for a system that suits me down to the ground.
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Dugast Typhoon TLR cyclocross tyre
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I don't get to create much content about cyclocross, but I love it dearly. So when Dugast stepped beyond its tubular tyre roots with a tubeless-ready range, I jumped at the chance to review them. I justified this by suggesting Dugast might expand the line to gravel tyres some day.
With a 240 TPI casing and Dugast’s reputation for finding grip where none exists, any gravel tyre it makes would be a must-review for me. Fortunately, I got to test the cyclocross tyres and the experience was fascinating.
Setup is finicky; too much air causes the tread to bubble. But, with patience, the ride quality is remarkable.
These tyres offer a level of dexterity in their casing and tread that's unmatched by other tubeless-ready options. Their aesthetics are stunning and they line up straight – an improvement over some of Dugast’s tubulars.
While cyclocross is largely overshadowed by gravel riding today, Dugast remains a brand to watch. If it ever enters the gravel tyre market, it could be a true game-changer. For now, the brand's tubeless-ready cyclocross tyres are excellent race-day options for those who appreciate Dugast’s craftsmanship.
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Matt Holmes' prison phone
While these have all been, in my opinion, good picks, nothing I saw in 2024 was better than Matt Holmes' tiny phone at the UCI Gravel World Championships.
As a very good privateer, Matt says a phone is a necessity in gravel racing from a safety point of view.
But a modern smartphone would take up too much space in skinsuit pockets, never mind adding too much weight to a dialled setup.
His solution was to buy the world’s smallest functioning smartphone. Well, that’s the claim on the product page, which may not be strictly accurate.
Nevertheless, Matt took great delight in telling us that these phones are designed for smuggling into prison – and this tiny device instantly became my tech highlight of the year.
It’s a beautifully simple solution to a problem that you won’t have encountered unless you’ve done an event like this. It’s also a funny tidbit in a segment of cycling that has spent most of its time arguing about what gravel actually is.
