Two wonderful jackets, three magnificent bikes, and a bacon sandwich: Will’s Gear of the Year

It’s been a big year for testing bike gear, with my current count at 42 bits of tech actually reviewed, and a lot more than that tested in the background. Lights, jackets, socks, shorts, shoes, all sorts of peripheral tech, self-inflating tyres, AI-enabled glasses, and of course, bikes. Much of it has been excellent, but when you test this many things, it takes a lot to stand out.

So that I don’t forget things I tested almost 12 months ago, I keep a list on my phone that I constantly add to of products that have really impressed me throughout the year. Some of them become the yardstick against which I judge other products, but most just quietly slot seamlessly into my riding life, which is more often than not why I like them so much.

Two brilliant jackets

While the best waterproof cycling jackets have got worse in recent years, thanks to laudable regulatory changes concerning the banning of PFAS, the best winter cycling jackets continue to go from strength to strength. I’ve tested loads in recent seasons, some were standout for pure warmth like the Velocio Alpha Zero, and others for pure technical wizardry like the crazy £700 Assos Johdah, but two stood head and shoulders above the rest: The Assos Equipe R Habu S11, and the Albion Ultralight Insulated Jacket.

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The former is, to my mind the best winter jacket out there right now, which is why it sits as my ‘best overall’ in the guide. It is beautifully well fitted, the gloves pocket on the front is surprisingly handy, it’s insulated enough for all but the absolute most arctic riding I ever do, and somehow it’s breathable enough to not turn me into a giant, mobile puddle of sweat even when I’m doing repeated hill sprints. It’s marvellous, it’s expensive, but it’s something you will buy once and only replace years down the line when you finally wear it into the ground.

The latter, Albion’s ultralight emergency layer, comes with me on most rides as a back-pocket peace-of-mind brain salve, or to throw on at the pub after a ride. It’s a lot warmer than a gilet, it’s more insulated than a traditional wind jacket, it’ll just about fit over the Habu jacket when it’s unbearably cold (basically when it gets to -5ºC), but held its own as a useful extra layer from early autumn all the way through midwinter and into spring. It was also in my colleague Graham’s gear of the year last year.

The best socks in the whole world

You might be surprised to learn that two of my most treasured cycling possessions aren’t anything high tech. They aren’t a top end bike computer, a hyper-expensive bike light, or that aforementioned £700 jacket. One is a pair of alpaca wool socks, and the second is a second pair of alpaca wool socks.

While I am blessed with supremely good hand circulation, meaning I can basically get away with wearing no gloves for most of the winter, I cannot stand chilly toes. I have tested more or less every winter cycling sock on the market, and even put hiking socks and neoprene sailing socks to the test in the hunt for cosy feet, but nothing comes close to a pair of Hollow Crew socks.

They’re expensive, for socks, but they are so brilliant that I now live in constant fear of shrinking them in the wash. Alpaca fibres are hollow, hence the name, meaning they trap more heat than merino. They’re also softer, and less itchy. I’ve worn them with summer shoes and pretty basic knitted overshoes in really very cold conditions and come away smiling, and I can’t recommend them highly enough.

A no-nonsense chain lube

I tried waxing my chain but it’s not for me. The faff is unbearable, but having switched back I initially failed to find a decent one-and-done bottle of lube to allow me to think about more important things like literally anything else.

My local bike shop stocks Juice Lubes, and when I ran out of whatever old stuff I had kicking around in the box, I popped in and picked up some Viking Juice. The name is a bit cringe, mostly because men who are overly into claiming they’re vikings tend to spend too much time on viking forums in their parents basements and not enough time pillaging villages in the north of England, but I can’t deny that the lube itself is brilliant.

It’s really runny, smells of solvents, and seems to dry fast without leaving a load of horrible gummy residue. It’s not going to compete with wax for cleanliness and speed, but I can slap a load on, wipe off any excess after an hour or so (there’s usually very little), and ride in all weathers. It seems to be cleaner than most wet lubes I’ve tried, and despite looking a bit thin, I’ve never had a chain run dry even in some torrential conditions.

To Valhalla, where we will drink from the skulls of our enemies and adequately lubricate the drivetrains of our battle-cycles.

Big tyres

2025 was the year I stopped messing about and went big on tyres, on the road as well as on gravel. Every time I went up a size, it seemed to offer some improvements, with basically no drawbacks.

The Ridley Noah Fast 3.0 is a truly exceptional bike, but it came with a 30c rear and a 28c front tyre for improved aerodynamics. This is fine if you’re riding somewhere with lovely tarmac (not Belgium, I might add), but British roads are increasingly clattery with 28s. Swapping to 30’s all round was great, but with hindsight I wish I’d gone for 32s.

On the Fairlight Strael, the only bike or product I’ve ever given a perfect score to, I opted for 35c Continental GP5000 AS TRs and haven’t once considered putting anything smaller on. On smooth roads, they’re smooth; on rough roads, they’re still smooth. You can corner with more confidence and even get up to unplanned mischief.

While I rode less gravel this year than last, I still found time to push the limits of the latest Specialized Diverge. Nominally, it can accommodate a 2” tyre, but having seen someone else do it, I have crammed a set of 2.25” Maxxis Aspens into the frame and fork. It’s tight, too tight actually, as when I sprint the rear tyre rubs the frame, but it’s opened my eyes further to the fact that wider tyres are faster, especially off-road. The grip, descending confidence, and comfort are all improved, with the price being a modest weight penalty, one I’ll gladly pay.

3 magnificent, very different road bikes

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It was a big year for bike testing. At my latest count, I think I’ve set about testing at least 12 bikes, this year, with several more in a partially tested state. Of those, three really blew me away, for very different reasons: the Fairlight Strael 4.0, the Ridley Noah Fast 3.0, and the Scott Addict RC Ultimate.

Tackling them in reverse order, the Scott Addict RC Ultimate is a bike that’s absolutely beautiful to ride. The handling is superb, on a par with the Pinarello Dogma F, and the crazy low weight makes it a dream when the road points uphill. Of all the race bikes I’ve tested this year, and in recent years, it’s probably the one I’ve come closest to parting with my own money for (albeit in a lower spec option).

The Ridley Noah Fast 3.0 was also incredible to ride but for very different reasons. The geometry was hyper-modern, with a very steep seat tube and a very long stem. Somehow it was one of the most aggressive race bike I’ve ridden, but also one of the most stable at speed, and blisteringly fast thanks to it forcing you into an aero position whether you like it or not. It’s not a bike I’d like to own, but I’d love to be able to keep riding it every now and then.

Lastly, the Fairlight Strael 4.0. Now nominally an all-road machine, it is all I could ever ask for in a modern steel road bike. It is serene in terms of comfort, beautiful to look at, handles all the riding I could ever throw at it, and is designed with such care and attention to detail that it puts most other brands in the shade. It’s easy to live with, easy to work on, versatile… it’s perfect.

A bacon sandwich and a chelsea bun

Every time I ride to work, I stop in and get breakfast at Basil’s Bakery. It’s right at the end of the Bristol to Bath cycle path, and while it isn’t technically a cycling product, it’s done as much for improving my enjoyment of cycling as many dedicated bike products.

Commuting can be miserable, especially in the winter, and while I often enjoy my hour-long rumble to the office, there are days when the thought of a comically large bacon sandwich and a chewy, spiced Chelsea bun is all that gets me out of my front door.

Coke and water

Last year, in an attempt to fuel appropriately on my rides without resorting to gels and bars, I consumed an alarming volume of gummy bears. This year, in an effort to reduce my Haribo consumption (or to bolster it for big days like at The Traka), I took a tip from Tom Sturdy and instead of buying carb powder, I simply had one bottle filled with a mix of half Coke and half water.

While it gets a bit sticky sometimes, it’s been an invaluable addition, and as I was told by Sturdy himself (and have taken as gospel), it’s as many carbs as you can absorb, it’s cheap, it doesn’t taste terrible, has a bit of caffeine, and once it goes flat, it settles your stomach.

SRAM brakes

I still think Shimano has SRAM licked when it comes to shifting, but 2025 was the year I had to really think hard about which groupset I would choose if I was speccing a bike for myself. Driving back from the wind tunnel with a meandering chat led me to think that I’d still take the Japanese option, mostly because I know how to work on it more readily, but there’s no denying that SRAM’s latest generation of brakes are really, really excellent.

Dura-Ace, whenever it arrives, has some catching up to do in this regard.

A fully loaded multi-tool

Sadly, in a fit of stupidity, I recently left the fully stocked tool caddy that I was so proud of by the side of the road after a small change to my saddle height. Goodbye Dynaplug, farewell tyre levers, adios CO2… Luckily, though, all was not totally lost as I pocketed the Trek Pro BITS multi-tool.

I’ve not ridden without it in almost two years now. It’s not glamorous, it’s not anodised in any fancy way, but it does everything. I’ve even used it to build entire bikes in the office, in the absence of a tool kit. Most multi-tools omit important things like an 8mm for pedals, or a chain breaker, but the Pro BITS has, as far as I can tell, got basically everything I could ever need to take care of roadside repairs. I just need to not leave it on the pavement, or I’ll be very sad.

A refreshingly basic light

I’ve had the pleasure of testing some amazing lights. The Exposure Strada is sensational and is very much the best light for road riding, but the one I’ve used most has been the simple, affordable, and rather modest CatEye AMPP900.

Why? Well, mostly because it’s easy to use. The mounting bracket is universal and needs no tools, meaning I can swap it from a bike with deep aero handlebars to traditional round ones in a matter of seconds. Adapters are easily available to mount it under a computer, and the mode selection is simple; three power modes, two flashing options, all cycled with one press.