The list was huge and, to be fair, is packed with some real banging discounts.

Shop the Sigma Sports Warehouse Sale.

As Cyclingnews' deal-hunting guru, I've spent several hours sifting through it (so you don't have to), but it quickly became overwhelming, with a ton of items down to the last remnants of stock, and some of it, to be frank, is total garbage.

However, saying the one man's trash is another man's treasure, and who am I to judge if you've been on the hunt for an Oakley Face Mask? Well, the hunt is no longer, because you can relive the COVID-19 days with 97% off and grab it for just 50p. That's a huge £14.50 off the staggering £15 RRP.

After you've picked up one of the best face masks on the market, a new bike might be on your wish list. There are deals across some of the best road bikes and gravel bikes from the likes of Cervelo, Specialized, Trek and more. Including a huge £5,001 off the Cervelo R5 Red XPLR AXS, which is a bike we branded as road bike royalty and awarded a 4.5-star rating.

So the choice is yours, and below you'll find 22 of the best deals, but there are plenty more to be had; you just need to be willing to do some serious sifting.

With it being a clearance, it's the last of the stock, so sizing is limited. We'd say if you see something you're after, then grab it while you can, even if it's that Oakley Face Mask.

Despite asserting that the structures Millar put in place during her two-year tenure are working, the company’s figures show a further reduction in turnover, down from £96m in the 2024 financial year to £89m in 2025, its Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) are also down to a deficit of £5.6m, £3m less than last year.

While the Customer Lifetime Value, the worth of a customer to the business, and a key indicator of customer retention, is up to £634, the company is reporting an operating loss of £21.1m, £4m more than last year and worse than 2023. This marks a ninth consecutive year of operating losses for Rapha.

"These numbers reflect deliberate decisions to invest in our brand, product quality, cycling communities and customer experiences, while reducing our reliance on discount and promotional related activities - choices that will strengthen the business over time," read a statement released on Wednesday, September 23.

According to the press release, Millar put in place a new vision and strategy, before suggesting to the company’s board that she step down "to allow new leadership to guide the next phase."

"While there are encouraging green shoots, we believe significant changes are essential to establish a stronger, more sustainable path forward," Rapha’s press release continued, before suggesting job losses may be on the horizon. "This involves a proposed organisational restructure and a formal consultation process with affected team members will now take place. We believe these proposed changes are necessary but recognise the personal impact on affected colleagues, and we do not take these decisions lightly."

Despite the numbers, the company insists early signs are that the strategy put in place is bearing fruit, with "encouraging revenue growth in a number of our key territories and in our like-for-like Clubhouses, with fewer days on promotion and increased customer acquisition vs last year."

In 2017 the company was sold by founder Simon Mottram to RCZ Investments, a private equity firm headed by the heirs to the Walmart empire, Steuart and Tom Walton.

"My brother and I have been majority owners of Rapha for nine years," Steuart Walton is quoted as saying. "We love the brand, the product, and what Rapha stands for, and we are deeply grateful to the people who have made the company so special.

"Our belief in Rapha has not changed. We remain committed to the power of cycling to make the world a better place and to Rapha’s unique role in advancing that idea."

Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.

When Millar arrived at Rapha in August 2024 from Belstaff – where she helped turn around the company’s financial performance – she was faced with poor financial results, including seven consecutive years of reduced sales and turnover and rising losses, some on the back of the industry’s post-pandemic slump.

Millar, the former Director of Business Operations at Team Sky, warned of "significant organisational changes to reduce cost" at Rapha, as she confirmed news of her departure – which originally surfaced on the Escape Collective website – in a social media statement on Wednesday.

"After two bonkers and brilliant years, I’ve decided to leave Rapha," Millar wrote.

"The vision and strategy I set are in place, and the path ahead for the brand is clear. What remains is delivery.

"To support that, the business will make significant organisational changes to reduce cost and drive efficiency, and those changes call for a different governance and leadership structure. With that in mind, I proposed to the board that I step down as CEO.

"I am incredibly proud of the passionate, loyal, committed people who work at Rapha across the world and it has been a joy to lead them for two years. All that remains to say is THANK YOU to our team, our members, our customers and the brand. It’s been an honour."

Millar has worked in the cycling industry for most of her working life, helping to found the Face Partnership athlete management and events company in 2000, before moving to help establish Team Sky, where she worked in various roles, during which time she worked with Rapha, who supplied the team with their race clothing between 2013 and 2016.

Leaving as CEO in October 2020, she went on to run two other brands owned by Netcompany Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos Hygienics and Belstaff, before returning to the cycling industry at Rapha.

According to Millar, Rapha had been drifting in the years since 2017, when founder Simon Mottram sold it to RCZ Investments for £200 million, and she blamed a dilution of the brand’s focus, entering the mountain bike and lifestyle markets, as well as too much focus on low price-point products.

"I don’t think we were clear enough about what we were going to try and expand into," she told Luxury Society in November 2025.

"We know we want to grow. We knew we wanted to scale. We’d obviously been bought and I think there was a pressure to demonstrate that the price [of the acquisition] had been worth it."

In a statement issued to Cyclingnews Rapha thanked MIllar for her work at the company.

"With a new vision and strategy in place, CEO Fran Millar suggested to the Board that she step down to allow new leadership to guide the next phase, a decision the Board has accepted," the statement read.

"We extend our sincere thanks to Fran for her leadership over the past two years, during which she stabilised operations, refocused the product roadmap and the global Rapha Cycling Club (RCC) community."

Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.

As far as helmet manufacturers go, Smith is a relative newcomer to the bike market, having launched its inaugural Forefront MTB lid in 2013. Having made his name making ski goggles, founder Bob Smith patented anti-fog lenses 60 years ago and the company has been innovating ever since.

The Dispatch MIPS is the brand's premium commuter helmet and Smith's snowsports heritage comes through in the design. There are even special vents to help stop your glasses steaming up. Classic Smith.

With a £155 RRP, the Dispatch sits at the higher end of the e-bike-specific helmet range, but there’s a lot to like. The integrated light, NTA 8776 certification and magnetic Fidlock buckle are just a few of the standout features.

I’ve been using the Dispatch MIPS on my e-bike school run and during battery-free commutes into the office. Admittedly, I’ve not had much snow to deal with, but I get the impression the Dispatch would be more than equipped to cope.

Design and aesthetics 

The Dispatch is a stylish, durable commuter helmet with a subtle urban aesthetic. Leaning into its snowsport heritage, Smith has created a lid that wouldn’t look completely out of place on a ski lift, with a minimal domed shell, small vents and an inbuilt Microbrim visor.

The Microbrim is essentially an enlarged section with a very subtle lip at the front of the helmet that both shields your eyes and also facilitates the additional AirEvac vents. These inlets integrate with Smith eyewear and generally help prevent misty specs. The rear vents also allow for the attachment of an integrated light, which comes included with the helmet.

There are plenty of other smart additions to the design, including a Fidlock magnetic buckle and Smith’s own Koroyd protective material used alongside EPS in the liner.

Despite the abundance of features, Smith has kept the shell nice and sleek and the helmet isn’t overly bulky. There aren’t many contours or gaps, which only adds to a solid overall feel. The brand logo is subtle and even with the light attached, the helmet has a stripped-back silhouette which looks high-end.

If stripped-back is your thing, you’ll be pleased to know that Smith has kept things simple when it comes to colour options, too. The latest iteration of the Dispatch comes in two options: black or white.

Components and build 

The first thing you notice about the Dispatch is how solid it feels. There are no creaks or flexes and nothing feels remotely in danger of snapping off should it get dropped. It’s a military-grade piece of kit. So much so I wouldn’t be surprised if Smith launched a matching flak jacket.

The helmet uses MIPS, a system which protects the head from rotational forces during a crash, and uses Smith’s own Koroyd technology in combination with a traditional EPS liner. Koroyd is used “zonally” within the Dispatch, rather than all over, which effectively creates crumple zones that will absorb impact in targeted areas where it’s most likely to be needed.

To back this up, the Dispatch comes with the e-bike-specific NTA 8776 certificate, which means it's been tested at higher speeds and provides increased head coverage compared to regular helmets. It doesn’t, however, currently come with a Virginia Tech rating, although similar Smith helmets do boast all five stars from the reputable testing lab.

Smith’s Vaporfit cradle claims to offer 270-degree adjustment, which should mean less chance of particular pressure points. The system also provides three settings at the rear so you can tune the fit.

Smith haven’t gone overboard with the padding, with none at the rear, but what’s there does come with Ionic+ antimicrobial lining. The fabric contains silver, which actively reduces bacteria and therefore helps keep odours and stains to a minimum.

The straps come complete with a magnetic Fidlock buckle, which means you can unclip with one hand. This might not seem like a huge advantage, but for anyone used to carrying a bag or a child, then actually having one hand free can be a game-changer.

To keep your head cool on warmer days or longer rides, the Dispatch comes with eight vents. At first glance, these don’t seem like much, as the shell is mainly one smooth dome, with vents feeling very much secondary to the overall design. The whole thing weighed in at 394g on my scales, which is pretty impressive given the aforementioned rock-solid feel.

The most unique feature on the Dispatch is the Microbrim visor, which uses Smith’s custom AirEvac vents to channel additional airflow down through the lip of the helmet. With Smith’s ski and snowboard helmets, the vents are specifically aligned to match their own eyewear but, assuming you’re not commuting in ski goggles, as long as the browline of your glasses is quite flat, it should work well whether you’re in Smith specs or not.

Included with your helmet, you’ll find Smith’s integrated LED light, which attaches to the vents at the back. The light takes a Micro USB, rather than the modern USB-C, so you’ll need to keep that charger in the drawer for a few more years yet. You can set it to either a solid red light, a fast flash or a slow flash. The light adds another 28g grams to the total.

Alongside the light, you’ll also find a helmet bag with a drawstring that doubles as shoulder straps. Probably not something that will convince you to splash the cash, but a nice addition nonetheless.

Performance

Overall, the Dispatch was a pleasure to test. The biggest compliment you can give a helmet is that you completely forget you’re wearing it, and that was the case here. It was very comfortable and due to its relatively low weight, it remained pretty inconspicuous to me, even on my 40-minute pedal-powered commute.

Smith claim that the VaporFit dial gives you 270 degrees of adjustment, mitigating any particular pressure points in the cradle. These claims stood up to the test and I didn’t suffer the same pressure I’ve had testing other similar products. My head is large from front to back, meaning I often end up with a pressure point at the front of the cradle and a red mark on my forehead. I didn’t get that with the Dispatch. Of course helmet comfort is quite subjective, so I would always recommend trying for size or double-checking a store’s returns policy.

The height adjustment makes getting the fit right even easier. I found the lowest setting helped make the fit feel more secure. The higher setting will probably help when it comes to ponytails, although it does make the dial a bit harder to adjust.

In terms of aesthetics, the Dispatch isn’t nearly as bulky as some of its peers in the e-bike helmet subgenre, which contains some absolute whoppers. Despite looking quite bulbous in the pictures, when in position it’s much more streamlined. The look definitely borrows from some of Smith’s snowsports cousins, but has clearly been tweaked for the streets.

The shell looks and feels like something that is built to last. It withstood a few little bumps and scuffs during testing and just seems like a solid piece of kit.

The vents are pretty minimal and I was worried they wouldn’t be sufficient enough to keep my head cool on warmer rides. Despite not looking like much, especially compared to more traditional road helmets, these little inlets worked well on my commute. The vents being on the smaller side also helps keep your hair from getting soaked if the heavens open.

I’m also a big fan of the Fidlock buckle. It might seem like a nice-to-have feature rather than something genuinely game-changing, but try telling that to someone trying to remove a helmet whilst also wrestling a clingy one-year-old on the way into nursery.

The light, which Smith describes as “integrated”, clips on to the upper rear vents of the helmet. I’d say integrated is overselling it a bit, as the light is definitely a separate entity, but the clip-on process is very smooth. While in situ, the light works well and is easy to activate while riding. The button protrudes enough making it easy to locate, so you can feel confident you’ve hit the switch if you decide you need some extra visibility mid-ride.

From a performance point of view, it’s difficult to find too many faults. The fit will be something you’ll ultimately need to test yourself, but in terms of design and functionality, this is one of my personal favourite commuter options.

Value

The Dispatch is undoubtedly a premium helmet and comes with a hefty price tag, but after putting it to the test, the performance definitely justifies the expense. The engineering behind both the helmet and its components means you’re getting something that works well, will last you a considerable amount of time and gives will keep you safe in the unfortunate event of a collision.

However, if you’re looking for a similar style of product but want to keep the cost down, there are some options out there. The POC Crane has a similar urban look but comes in a little cheaper at £110 RRP. The POC also has the benefit in having a fluorescent orange option, as well as the black and white available with the Dispatch.

Also in the same bracket aesthetically is the Bern Hudson, which comes with a detachable fabric visor. This one officially comes in at around £137 but is currently reduced to £102 via the brand’s website.

At £99 RRP, the Lazer Verde also has a few more colourways to choose from and is both made from recycled materials and designed to be recycled. The POC, Bern and Lazer all come with the NTA 8776 seal of approval.

Verdict

Overall, this is one of the best e-bike helmets on the market. It ticks all the boxes you’d want and expect, with the addition of some really nice additional features.

It’s a good-looking lid as well. The Matte White colour I tested gave me additional Stormtrooper energy at the lights on my commute. The only other available colour option on this latest model is black, which is a bit disappointing given the previous model comes in the slightly more interesting Slate and Sunrise colourways.

The Dispatch feels extremely durable and offers excellent protection, with the necessary certification to prove it, but it isn’t overly heavy or bulky. The ventilation isn’t excessive, so shouldn’t let too much rain in, but together with Smith’s breathable Koroyd technology it should keep you cool enough on the commute.

The visor venting is a nice touch, as is the Fidlock buckle. While there isn’t an abundance of padding, the Dispatch feels secure and the VaporFit dial helps you dial-in the fit without creating pressure points.

Where you might feel the pinch is when you come to payment, as this is at the top end of the commuter price bracket. However, the overall performance here justifies the price tag.

There have been some shining lights in the waterproof landscape however, as companies stop focussing on trying to maintain a near-impossible levels of dryness, and reprioritise temperature regulation in the face of impending dampness. One such glimmer of hope was the Castelli Gabba R, and in a similar vein I’ve absolutely adored testing Assos’ Equipe RS Shell Jersey S11.

It’s called a jersey, but in my eyes it’s more like a gilet (or vest, for y’all across the pond), but with sleeves. In fact, it’s the first thing to come along that’s actually managed to supplant my Castelli Perfetto vest when summer turns to autumn, or when winter finally gives way to spring. It’s been stowed in my pockets more times than I can count, it’s come with me up mountains, and it should absolutely be on your list if you like to ride hard in the wet.

Design and aesthetics

I’ll admit, it does look like a jersey, and while you could wear it over a base layer you’d probably struggle as it has no pockets. The Equipe RS Shell Jersey S11 (a typically wordy Assos product name, with Equipe RS denoting it’s from the brand’s most racy line, and S11 designating that this is the highest evolution of this product) takes the form of an aero jersey, but mates a VERY stretchy 2-layer softshell membrane on the front, shoulder, and down the sides of your back with the sleeves from a standard aero jersey, and a wide mesh panel running the length of the spine up to the top of the shoulder blades.

The polyurethane membrane itself boasts a hydrostatic head figure of “>25m”, which is certainly respectable, and a breathability of 40,000g/m2/24hrs, which again, on paper, is certainly impressive. This is more than the hydrostatic head of the Gabba R (5,000mm), though Castelli doesn’t offer a breathability figure for its garment. You do need to remember that breathability will be improved by having a mesh back, something that will also allow water ingress to a far greater degree than the membrane will, and the Assos doesn’t have any taped seams anywhere.

The fit is just like an aero jersey, albeit with a high collar, allowing it to fit like a second skin over whatever you’re already riding hard in, with a little more room engineered into the lower back to account for pockets stuffed full of gels.

There’s a double zip to allow access to the aforementioned pockets, and aid in temperature regulation top and bottom, and a very cropped front to reduce bunching when in a position conducive to going fast. There’s no gripper on the hem, or cinch functionality, but as I’ll get into, it isn’t really necessary. It comes in six sizes, and you should buy it in your usual jersey size. For reference, I have been testing it in a small size, tipping the scales at 137.4g (versus the 155g for my Perfetto vest, admittedly in a medium).

The branding is typically minimal for an Assos shell. You can have any colour you want as long as it's black, save for the Assos logo high on the left shoulder and the rubberised wordmark on the collar. It looks good, it’ll match basically any kit you have, and it doesn’t suffer from what the Castelli Gabba R suffers from, in that it makes you look a little like you have a latex fetish, rather than a cycling one.

Performance

What a joy it is to have some weather protection without that incessant flapping. It’s hard to overstate how omnipresent some flapping is in almost all waterproof (or at least water-resistant) gear, but this is just like wearing an aero jersey over your aero jersey.

The fit is, as is almost always the case with Assos, absolutely perfect. It’s the right length, the right cut, with the right stretch to allow full freedom of movement and access to the pockets without ever stressing that the wind is grabbing at you. It’s tight enough that it doesn’t ride up, meaning a hem gripper is basically obsolete. You do need to be already wearing a close-fitting jersey, however, or you’ll suffer unsightly creases; this is very much a layer for the aero crowd.

The sleeves could be a half-inch longer, to avoid certain jersey sleeves poking out underneath, but that’s my only real gripe with the fit. Even the collar, so often too tight for me (and I’ve not had any Viagra pills stuck in my throat to give me a big neck as yet), is just right.

The weather protection isn’t going to compete with dedicated hardshells like the Pas Normal Mechanism Shell Jacket, or even the lightweight Maap Atmos, but that’s not what it’s for. If you’re riding hard in drizzle and light rain in anything from warm to cool conditions (basically summer, spring, and autumn, outside of downpours and storms), you’ll be golden. It occupies much the same space as the Gabba R in this respect, but works far better as a transient layer as it goes on and off far more easily, with no tacky grabbing of the flesh from the outer fabric, and stuffs into a jersey pocket far more easily.

On drizzly rides where you wouldn’t necessarily bother with anything at all, it’s perfect to throw on for a descent, and basically does whatever a light cycling vest would do, too.

If you’ve never ridden with any of Assos’ mesh-backed garments then you’re missing a trick. I’m surprised other brands haven’t picked it up yet, but in any case it’s marvellous. Much like with the Assos Equipe R Spring Fall LS Jersey S11 that I reviewed last winter, having next to nothing on your spine really helps keep you cool. The leading edges at the front and on the shoulders deal with the worst of the wetness, and this lovely central stripe, relatively devoid of airflow, can steam away quite happily.

If you still find yourself too hot, then the double zip is more than sufficient to adjust accordingly, maximising the time you leave it on before deciding, once again, to stuff it back in a jersey pocket.

It’s so good, in fact, that it has replaced my gilets entirely for road riding.

If you stop, however, you may get chilly. You cannot layer up as well underneath, so will need to be switched on regarding your base layer and arm warmer strategies, but it will cover the same basic conditions as any vest, in my opinion, while also keeping some water out.

Value

At £215, or $315, it isn’t a cheap bit of kit. It is, however, cheaper than a Castelli Gabba R and I would argue a more versatile bit of kit, while also being nominally also aerodynamically optimised and significantly more stylish. It is more expensive than a Perfetto vest, for so long my go-to, but if you are wanting to go fast in a greater range of conditions then the Assos is going to be the better bet.

It’s expensive, but given how good it is at what it does, I actually think it’s decent value. You needn’t trudge through the truly desolate midwinter riding if you don’t want to, and you definitely shouldn’t do it in this, but it’ll certainly make shoulder season more enjoyable, and faster too, I’d wager.

Verdict

I really like the Assos Equipe RS Shell Jersey. It has, for the most part, replaced my gilets in my usual riding wardrobe. It’s packable, protective enough to shrug off a respectable amount of water if you’re going hard, breathable and adjustable enough to avoid getting sweaty, fits like a dream, and looks good. It’s expensive, but it’s barely more expensive than an expensive gilet, and more versatile for shoulder season and summer in my view. A very good bit of kit, and one that will remain in my regular rotation for a long time to come.

Generally speaking, the accepted wisdom now is that the best waterproof jackets just aren't as good as they used to be.

A press release from British brand Madison this week alerted us to its new HydroShift Waterproof technology. Madison has launched a new two-layer, PFAS-free waterproof jacket, and while the brand does not promise a return to Shakedry levels of performance, it uses a design that shares some of the features that Shakedry did; could it be a new, viable wet weather option?

The new product set off a healthy debate in the CN Tech Slack channel: was this the return of a PFAS-free Shakedry-type product - surely the ultimate goal for 'green' waterproofs- or merely another 'bin bag'?

We will be testing a sample of the Hydroshift in the coming months and will report back to you on its performance in the UK autumn and winter. The retail price for the jacket will be £199.99

Jackets using Gore-Tex Shakedry material worked incredibly well thanks to certain, now banned, 'forever chemicals' used in production. In a nutshell, these chemicals facilitated both amazing breathability and waterproofing.

Shakedry jackets were superlight because they eschewed any outer textile layer. They were also very breathable, and water just rolled off them; you could also, let's not forget, as the name suggests, literally shake them dry.

Many rain jackets, with exceptions, tend to use a DWR-coated (durable water repellent) outer textile layer, which just isn't as effective as the Shakedry of old. Over time and use, DWR coatings become less effective, and jackets need more maintenance.

The Hydroshift tech

So what creates a link between the immortal Shakedry of old and this new HydroShift jacket? It certainly isn't forever chemicals, as the brand confirmed to us that its jacket is PFAS-free.

The Flux HydroShift Waterproof Packable Jacket does away with a face fabric outer layer. The jacket's 'ultra-hydrophobic microporous polyurethane membrane' is the outer layer of the jacket, which is what Shakedry jackets had, and is what the wet-weather race-specific Castelli Gabba R also does.

The brand's press release says 'a quick shake removes much of the remaining surface water' once you stop riding. This is as close as we get to any actual Shakedry claims, but the choice of language is interesting at very least.

We asked the brand for a little more information on the jacket, and it told us the jacket is designed to deliver breathability where it's needed, i.e climbing, and didn't focus on the highest possible waterproof rating numbers.

'HydroShift takes a different approach. Its microporous hydrophobic membrane allows moisture vapour to escape through open pores from the outset, helping to regulate heat and perspiration before the jacket begins to feel damp or clammy inside.

'The membrane also forms the jacket’s outer surface, removing the conventional face fabric that can absorb rain and eventually wet out. Water instead beads and rolls away, helping the jacket remain light while allowing moisture vapour to continue escaping.'

We are verifying waterproof numbers with the brand, but recent waterproofs have shown us that good breathability often comes at the expense of top-tier waterproofing. Brands will need to successfully combine the two to get anywhere near Shakedry levels of performance.

Designed to be Garmin’s entry level offering when it comes to chest strap heart rate monitors, the Garmin HRM 200 should not be considered lacking in advancements.

Impressively, for a budget heart rate monitor, the HRM 200 can be used for taking heart rate variability (HRV) measurements, something often lacking in chest strap monitors in the entry level market.

Appearance wise, it’s a big update from the previous generation HR monitor, but functionality wise there is little that has changed. That can be viewed as a good thing, given that the previous version just worked very well.

The HRM 200 has been positioned by Garmin as the optimal heart rate monitor to use when optical-based ones, such as wrist or arm-mounted, might not provide adequate data accuracy, such as high moisture/sweat environments where optical HRMs can struggle to remain consistent.

At £79.99, it’s not exactly cheap, but for a HRV (Heart Rate Variability) reading HR monitor, it starts to look better value. But just how well does it compare to other chest strap heart rate monitors on the market?

Design and Aesthetics

The Garmin HRM 200 is the entry-level offering from the brand when it comes to chest strap heart rate monitors. These HR monitors work by detecting the actual electrical signals from your heart, whereas optical sensors use flashing lights to measure pulse based on visual blood flow.

Optical sensors can become less accurate when there is moisture present, such as sweat, so for endurance sports with lots of perspiration, chest-based electrocardiography (ECG) systems are more accurate, as they detect the signal even better with moisture present. These two electrode readers are located on the back of the chest strap, and connect to the main broadcasting pod.

This pod has been heavily redesigned aesthetically. It now features a button on the front, and an LED light. The button needs to be held to enter pairing mode to easily connect to a bike computer or smartwatch, and then a single press to wake it up before use. The front LED has different flash patterns for connecting (orange flash), and being connected (green dual flash). The LED can also display battery level at the point of waking up; Green flash is okay, orange flash is low, red flash is critical.

On the rear of this pod, the coin cell battery, CR2032 in this case, is accessible. New US and Australian regulations require these to use a tool to open, rather than a penny or similar coinage to prevent children from accessing them. Garmin has addressed this very cleverly, making the strap buckle feature two small prongs which fit into this compartment to open up the battery door. Battery life is claimed one year, but it is not clear under what sort of usage that one year life is guaranteed.

Two strap options are available, XS-S (60-85 cm, 23.5"-33.5") and M-XL (80-119 cm, 31.5-47.0"). A simple hook and latch design is used to connect them, while the pod snaps on and off easily with two press studs.

Water resistance is a claimed 3 ATM (atmospheres) so should be able to deal with rain and sweat easily when cycling as that is far lower pressure. Garmin recommends removing the pod and washing the strap after every seven uses. You can also broadcast HRV data to compatible devices, Garmin, of course, recommends one of their Garmin watches. Total weight with the M-XL strap is 63 g (2.2 oz).

Performance

Some heart rate monitors can be a bit of a faff to get adjusted and fitted correctly, no such issues with the Garmin HRM 200. The M-XL strap fits me very well, with the advertised chest size being a good gauge of what size you should order. I also like the neat bit of low friction material that is placed on the inside of the strap hook. On the Wahoo Trackr HRM for example this isn’t present and the hook can dig into your side a little bit. Adjustment of the strap was also very easy and has remained in place throughout the entirety of testing.

Connectivity is also a breeze. Holding the button on the front of the unit until it flashes orange to show it is pairing, it then connects seamlessly with the Garmin Edge 1050 I was using alongside.

In terms of accuracy, to test this I ran a few different heart rate monitors concurrently in a few different scenarios. Indoors, I was using an Apple Watch Ultra 2 on my wrist, along with a Coros HRM on my arm. Both of these perform better when there is no fabric over them, so are ideal for indoors with a vest on. They do both struggle when the going gets sweatier though. For the easier rides, the Garmin HRM 200 tracked well with them, but at higher intensity it tended to read higher, where the others have struggled to reach peak HR readings.

Outdoors, I had the fun of wearing a Wahoo Trackr HRM at the same time, both around my chest. Both devices read consistently across lower intensity riding all the way up to maximal efforts around HR maximum. I’d confidently say that the Garmin HRM 200 reads accurately, as a lot of chest straps do nowadays.

The additional features are interesting. The waterproofing is more targeted toward swimming, where a smartwatch may not be as accurate for HR measurements because the wet environment can limit optical HR accuracy.

HRV is another feature of the HRM 200, but to measure this really you need to be either wearing a smartwatch which the HRM 200 is connected to, or connect each morning and get a waking measurement. Consistency is key when taking HRV readings, and I personally find putting the chest strap on for this a bit of a faff. At lower intensities, optical measurements have worked well for me and require less thought process. This is why an optical reading watch, strap, or ring would be my preferred option if I did track this regularly.

Battery level has been hard to judge, as over the course of the testing period I would not expect battery level to go from ‘okay’ to ‘low’ and it has not. I have not tested the unit for an entire year, just a few dozen hours, so I must take it at the brand’s word for the moment. Having used CR2032 HR monitors for years, the ‘one year battery life’ rings partly true depending on how much you ride and how many connections you have. I personally would have preferred to see recharging in this unit, like the HRM 600 or Wahoo Trackr HR, but coin cells, even with more waste, are better for fit and forget. I do have a huge list of devices that are being constantly charged after rides so maybe not adding to this is a blessing.

Value

Value is a tough one to gauge at the moment as there are a host of great HR monitors available with different pros and cons. The Wahoo Trackr HR monitor for example is the same price at £79.99 but is rechargeable although it lacks HRV broadcasting. Meanwhile the Polar H10 is very reliable, easy to use, has a great strap, but costs a fraction more at £86.50 and has a more awkward battery size.

There are some strong performing newcomers as well, with the 4iiii Viiiiva 2 (£64.99) and Magene H613 (£49) on paper offering better value overall given the features and the price difference.

Personally I find the HRV tracking a little hit and miss, as you need to be wearing a smart watch overnight to get truly accurate HRV measurements, which is not something I tend to do. You could connect it each morning with the Garmin app to measure waking HRV for a consistent tracking routine though. Personally, I prefer the rechargeability of the Wahoo Trackr HRM having tested that myself, while the Magene H613 with the same feature is a very enticing option.

As a chest based HR monitor though, the Garmin HRM 200 is a great performer, and if you don’t require the host of additional features that the Garmin HRM 600 comes with, then it is a better value offering and pretty good in the overall competitive market.

Verdict

The Garmin HRM 200 is a solidly performing heart rate monitor. It’s comfortable to wear, stays in place, has some neat features in-built, and it’s accurate for cycling use. The HRV features are something nice to have, but only if you have a smartwatch to pair with it or want to go through each morning actively setting up and measuring the HRV manually. For cycling use, I’d prefer rechargeability as a feature such as the same-priced Wahoo Trackr HRM.

What this means is that although it’s a solidly performing unit, it doesn’t exactly stand out to me. The likes of the 4iiii Viiiiva and Magene 613 claim to offer the same sort of performance for a decent chunk of cash less. Garmin has a great track record though as a superb HR monitor brand, so I expect the HRM 200 to be a reliable device for years to come.

From the best bike computers and indoor smart trainers to precision power meter pedals and rearview radar systems, Garmin’s lineup consistently earns top marks in our expert testing and buying guides.

Shop the Birthday Sale at Garmin.

The Garmin Birthday Sale runs until September 20, offering discounts across the majority of its cycling tech. Our best overall bike computer – the Garmin Edge 1050 has an impressive £70 off, down to just £529. It's the lowest I've seen this year on the flagship Garmin device. It also significantly undercuts the current Amazon Garmin Edge 1050 price of £614.

Below you'll find my top ten selections from the Garmin Sale, and these focus on the UK version. For Garmin US shoppers, the US Birthday Sale is live; sadly, there are more limited offers available.

Saying that, there are still some gems worth highlighting. Including $100 off the Garmin Edge 1040 Solar down to $599. So worth a look for those based in the US.

The Birthday Sale runs until September 20, but with Amazon Prime Day coming in early October, and then Black Friday in November, if you miss out now, there might be plenty of Garmin deals coming. Of course, we'll be highlighting all the offers as they appear, but if you have an eye on something now, why wait?

Below you'll also find the best prices on Garmin cycling tech from other retailers, relevant to your currency and location.

Despite the e-bike helmet being a relatively new subgenre in the world of bike apparel, there are already plenty of good options – see our best e-bike helmets guide for more of them. You probably have a list of must-haves when it comes to making a purchase: safety, comfort, and not looking daft. Sustainability credentials may or may not sway your final decision, but if you are looking for a model that looks after both your head and the planet, the Lazer Verde KinetiCore is for you.

Having used the Verde on both my 40-minute pedal-powered commute and on weekend e-bike outings for many weeks now, I can vouch for it as a comfortable, stylish option that won’t break the bank. At the time of writing, I haven’t put its safety credentials or ease of recycling to the test, but the relevant certificates and documentation back those up.

Design and aesthetics 

Lazer have been making helmets for over 100 years and claims to have designed the first true hardshell helmet, so it has always put technical innovation at the heart of its design.

The Verde is the latest product of this ethos, being the first to feature the brand’s EcoLoc system, which allows the helmet to be disassembled and recycled after use. In fact, 70 per cent of the helmet’s weight is made from recycled materials. There is no glue, Velcro, paint or stickers, all of which make the helmet’s production and decommissioning much less harmful to the planet.

Eco credentials in cycle kit can often read like marketing guff rather than genuinely meaningful action, but this doesn’t feel like the case with the Verde. Its closest competitor in the sustainable e-bike helmet category (admittedly a pretty niche genre) is probably the POC Myelin, however, the POC doesn’t have nearly as much certification.

The Verde comes with the essential NTA 8776 certificate, which is a Dutch standard specifically for e-bikes that rubber-stamps the helmet’s ability to perform in higher-speed collisions. It was awarded 4 out of 5 stars from Virginia Tech, so isn’t quite as safe as they come, but it’s pretty good. The helmet uses Lazer’s KinetiCore (essentially an in-house alternative to the MIPS design), which uses crumple zones rather than a separate inner shell like MIPS.

The Verde claims to provide ventilation that both offers enough inflow to keep you cool, while simultaneously keeping rain out. This is achieved by having most of the vents in the shell and the liner seemingly misaligned, which looks slightly odd at first glance.

The cradle uses Lazer's TurnSys dial adjuster, but unlike some of the brand's alternative options, there is no lateral adjustment. The strap comes with the old-school pinch-release buckle where some of the Verde’s competitors opt for a magnetic clasp, but again the design leans towards simplicity over sophistication as a way to reduce waste, and I’m here for it.

The Verde doesn’t come with a visor or the means to attach one. In terms of customisation, you might want to consider attaching Lazer’s LED light. There’s also the brand's compatible Winter Kit, which connects to the inside of the helmet to add insulation for colder commutes. Given the reduced ventilation, however, you might not need any extra warmth.

There are five matte colourways to choose from, with the Sage Green and Fort Knox particularly catching the eye. Another thing to note regarding the colour is that the plastic isn’t painted (another eco decision), it’s dyed, and has proved more resistant to scratches so far. Otherwise, the design is pretty slick and isn’t as bulky as some of its peers.

Performance

Overall, the Verde performed pretty well during test rides, which consisted of both e-bike nursery drop-offs and 40-minute, non–pedal-assisted commutes into the office. It’s probably worth noting that all of this riding was done in the south of England during the long, hot summer of 2026.

The two main things that let the Verde down are its noticeable weight and insufficient ventilation. While it feels unfair to judge it too harshly during the hottest British summer on record, for me the ventilation wasn’t sufficient for medium effort or on a warm day, and after half an hour I could feel the weight on my head – unlike my ususal helmet.

In designing the vents to keep rain out, it feels as though Lazer have sacrificed too much in the way of airflow. If you’re the sort of e-bike rider who is happy to let your battery do most of the work, then this might not be a concern, but if you’re looking for an all-rounder that you can use at the weekend on longer rides, then you might want to shop around.

In terms of weight, the M-L Verde comes in at nearly half a kilo which, given it doesn’t come with in-built smart features or a visor, feels quite weighty. Compared to the similar Smith Dispatch, it’s around 100g heavier.

Again, if you are using pedal-assist, keeping to shorter distances and riding in an upright position, this is much less of an issue. I noticed the weight far more when I was commuting head-down on my Genesis Croix de Fer compared to the rides when sat up straight on my motor-equipped Tern Quick Haul.

Having stripped the design back to make it more sustainable, there’s an unfussiness to the Verde that is quite refreshing. The TurnSys dial adjuster feels a bit primitive at first but is actually really effective and robust. The lack of lateral adjustment leaves you a bit limited when it comes to catering for ponytails or just getting a customised fit.

The straps feel a little bit dated but work well and are simple to adjust once the helmet is in place, although come with a pinch-release buckle and without any chin strap pads or the like. While the lack of glue in the manufacturing process means the shell and the liner are not inseparable and feel slightly loose on occasion, knowing this is part of the eco-friendly design put my mind at rest.

Lazer haven’t gone overboard on the padding, having sacrificed both glue and Velcro in an effort to make the helmet more recyclable. One inadvertent positive of having less padding is that when things do get a bit sweaty, is that there's less material to soak it up.

Otherwise, the overall fit was fine, even for someone not blessed with the most conventional-shaped head. Trying on helmets is not something I relish, as they usually only accentuate my Frank Sidebottom-esque aesthetic, but the Verde doesn’t look overly bulky. Even in the larger M-L sizing, the helmet doesn't look excessive.

The choice of matte colours is also very easy on the eye. I didn’t fall in love with the Lemongrass option of my test helmet, but I very much like the look of the Sage Green and Fort Knox.

Value

Anyone who is accustomed to making climate-conscious purchasing decisions knows that they often incur something of a surcharge. The Verde feels firmly in that category, given both its weight and its stripped-back design feel like they could belong to a slightly cheaper helmet.

But for those who genuinely try and make impactful choices when buying kit, the extra outlay might feel warranted. The Verde comes in slightly cheaper than the POC Myelin (at full price) and has much greater protection certification.

The simple straps without chinstraps or magnetic clasp feel slightly outdated, not to mention out of place at this price point, but won’t ultimately have a huge impact on the important things like safety and comfort.

At £99, the Verde comes in considerably more expensive than some of the best e-bike helmets, like the Specialized Mode, which has a similar stylish design and all the safety certification you need. If you’d prefer some lighting already integrated, the Nutcase Vio comes is at a similar price but has 360-degree lighting and uses MIPS technology rather than Lazer’s KinetiCore.

If you have room in the budget, there are a number of options around the £150 mark that weigh in quite a bit lighter, have integrated lights and much improved ventilation.

Verdict

Overall, the Verde is a solid and aesthetically-pleasing option that will keep your head intact should the worst happen. It also comes with the added benefit of helping you sleep better at night knowing you’re doing your bit for the environment.

The insufficient ventilation and weight of the helmet might leave you a bit hot and bothered if you’re putting in a decent amount of effort or you’re out on a warm day for more than 30 minutes, but for the average e-bike commute or school run, you should be OK. There are arguably better value helmets on the market, but that depends what price you put on sustainable design. There are also helmets that come with more bells and whistles, like integrated lights, but the simplicity of the adjustment on both the cradle and straps might suit the purists out there.

As much as an e-bike helmet purchase should fundamentally be about protecting your grey matter on the road, even the most safety-conscious of us want to look nice at the same time. The Verde is a good-looking lid that isn’t overly bulky and it comes in five great colours.

The S-Works Torch holds our top spot as the best overall road shoe. Our expert tester awarded it an almost flawless score, calling it the ultimate cycling shoe.

Right now, Balfe's Bikes has slashed 20% off the Specialized S-Works Torch, bringing the price down from £350 to just £279 – a rare £71 saving. To sweeten the deal further, enter code BALFES10 at checkout for an extra £10 off.

Balfe's Bikes offers the same 20% discount across all four colourways. Most sizes remain in stock, but at this price, these premium shoes won't stick around for long.

Specialized dubs the S-Works Torch the "winningest" footwear in road cycling, building on a decades-long legacy of dominant S-Works shoes – including the S-Works 6, S-Works 7, and S-Works Ares. As the current flagship model, the Torch uses Retül biomechanical fit data to deliver the exact power transfer and stiffness that drove its predecessors to victory across the WorldTour Pro Peloton.

As expected from the S-Works mark, the Torch packs high-end materials into an ultralight 225g package (per shoe). It boasts a full carbon sole with an internal I-Beam for maximum power transfer, dual alloy Boa S3 dials for precise adjustment, and an adaptive upper that flexes around your foot's unique shape to prevent hotspots.

Our expert tester, Aaron Borrill, awarded the S-Works Torch a glowing 4.5-star review, noting that only its steep RRP held it back from a perfect score. At this discounted price, it becomes an absolute bargain.

This Secialized deal applies to UK shoppers only, and I've not found any significant deals for US shoppers apart from the Specialized S-Works Torch Laced version with 31% off at Backcountry, however, there are very limited sizes.

Below are the best Specialized shoe deals from other retailers, relevant to your location and currency.

From high-performance bib shorts and lightweight jerseys to the best cycling socks. The Universal Colours discounts include impressive savings on men’s and women’s kit, in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and colourways.

Shop the Universal Colours Sale at Sigma Sports.

I'm a big fan of the Universal Colours range. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to test the UC kit on a jaunt around the North Coast 500 in Scotland, when it launched back in 2020.

At the time, Universal Colours was a fledgling brand, and its core pieces performed admirably with the rigours of Scotland's notorious, ever-changing weather and the epic climb which is the Bealach na Bà.

Below I've selected some of the standout items that I can personally recommend, and from the women's range I've also enlisted the help of Christina Gaiger, who also rode on the NC500 shoot. Christina has selected some of her favourite pieces that are on sale at Sigma Sports.

There is generally 15% off, but some gems, like the Chroma Light SS jersey with 60% off. However, it's limited sizing and only while stock lasts. So I'd say be quick if you fancy trying the Universal Colours kit, then pull the trigger fast.

Universal Colours Sale - Men's Deals

Universal Colours Sale - Women's Deals

The highlighted Universal Colours deals are from the Sigma Sports Sale, but below you'll also find our handy price checker, which, if available, will find the best prices on Universal Colours clothing from other retailers, relevant to your currency and location.

Stock is fairly limited, but I built myself an outfit from the remaining available items, and I saved almost £400 on the six items I chose.

This included an outstanding £132 off the Le Col Pro Bib Shorts, down to just £88, from the usual £220. With Northern Hemisphere winter on the way, another cracking deal is on the Le Col Pro Insulated Jacket, which has 40% off. However, there is very limited stock showing on that, so you'll have to be quick to grab yourself one.

Shop the Le Col Summer Sale and save up to 60%.

I've also enlisted the help of my cycling friend Nicola Watson to choose an outfit from the Le Col women's range, which arguably has even better savings. Emma chose five items and saved an impressive £300 on her selections.

Below you'll find the details on Nicola's and my own outfits, and don't worry, there are plenty of socks; you can never have enough cycling socks, right?

Some readers may be aware that Le Col entered a period of administration earlier this year. However, it is now trading as normal again.

My Le Col Men's Summer Sale Picks

Nicola's Le Col Women's Summer Sale Picks

The Le Col Summer Sale is live now, and there is plenty of kit to choose from, and there is free shipping for orders over £130.

If you are a Le Col Member then there are exclusive member only reductions, including the LC_CC kit.

The chosen deals are from the UK site, but Le Col US is also carrying discounts, and worth checking out if you're US-based.

Below you'll also find Le Col deals from other retailers, which show the best prices in your territory.

Shop the 'Final Markdowns' in the Rapha Summer Sale.

Below I've selected some of the standout items, but there is plenty to choose from, including bargains on the best cycling jerseys, bib shorts, cycling jackets, accessories, and more.

I think one of the best cycling gilets is an essential item in your kit, and the Rapha Brevet Element Gilet ticks all the boxes. It's lightweight and packable, with active insulation. Right now you can get 60% off selected colours.

As a Rapha fan, its large logo sweatshirt is a big favourite for post-ride relaxing, travelling and down the pub. A knowing nod from a fellow cyclist while wearing it is always nice, and that's currently got 50% off.

The sale is set to end on August 24, but with the additional discounts, don't hang around, as some items are showing as selling fast, with limited sizing, and only while stock lasts.

Rapha Men's Deals

Rapha Women's Deals

The highlighted deals are from the USA Rapha Summer Sale, but for those in the UK, the Rapha UK Summer Sale has plenty of equally appealing discounts. Both the US and UK sales end on August 24.

Below you'll also find the best prices on Rapha apparel from other retailers, relevant to your currency and location.

Sisson, who runs YouTube channel @mercurialcyclist, has saved himself thousands of pounds buying cycling kit second-hand online. It's particularly lucrative when the item has a fault, he adds, as it means you have more negotiating power with the seller.

According to Sisson, you benefit from the fact people take up cycling as a hobby then give up a few months later and want to sell their gear. "Also, cyclists always want new kit: it's like women going on the red carpet who won't wear the same dress twice," he adds.

He's not the only one doing it either. Popular second-hand retail app Vinted now has a dedicated cycling section, where you can buy jerseys for as little as £2 as well as jackets, shoes, gloves, and even bib shorts for a fraction of their shop price. Some are used, others are brand new – often with tags still intact. On eBay too, a quick search for 'used cycling jersey' spits out more than 70,000 results.

But while there are plenty of tales of Vinted super steals, there are horror stories too. Reddit threads are full of anecdotes (not restricted to cycling gear) about jackets arriving covered in pet fur, shorts stained by period blood, and even some trousers that arrived with a worn pair of pants inside. Sellers also chip in, some posting about how they don't wash clothes before selling them because "most buyers wash things anyway".

And of course there's the risk of scams: whether that's boxes arriving completely empty or cheap products masquerading as high-end brands. So how do you navigate this emerging Wild West of buying second-hand cycling gear online?

How to avoid getting scammed

Sisson recommends cyclists avoid buying on-trend brands like Rapha or Pas Normal Studios, as those are the designs he believes are being faked the most.

"I've seen a massive increase in the amount of Rapha stuff that's supposedly new with tags. If you go onto AliExpress or Temu, you'll find a load of copies of them [Rapha items]," he says. "The copies have gotten so good that even if things are listed new with tags, you don't know if you're getting the real deal. I would bet that a lot of those ‘new with tags' items on Vinted might be people buying stuff from those places and trying to sell it at a profit."

Sisson himself bought a Rapha top off Vinted (new with tags) that he suspects might be a fake. "It all looks really proper but just something is a bit off to me. I don't know what it is. I'm sure the top itself is great… but I'm just not 100% convinced it is a Rapha product."

He suggests sticking to 'heritage' brands, like Castelli, Santini and Sportful – companies that make high-quality gear but are not suddenly booming in popularity like the trending labels.

"I never tend to buy anything from a seller with no reviews or ratings. If someone has one thing listed and no reviews, I avoid it," he adds. "Whereas, if someone's taken the time to post seven or eight pictures, I think it's more likely to be real. Plus, if there are creases on the clothes, it seems more real to me. It's clear someone's just pulled it out of the cupboard."

Many brands, including Castelli, now have guides on their websites showing how to identify genuine products.

When trying to work out if an item is authentic, try looking at the zip. Many premium brands will have their logo on there. Also, check the internal care label. Is it clearly printed, in coherent English with correct spelling? Is the material high-quality and does it match the materials the brand normally uses? Small details, like helpful concealed pockets and reflective elements, can also suggest a genuine product as opposed to a cheap fake.

Dan Pettitt from Wiltshire, who runs cycling YouTube channel @d.pettitt, has also saved thousands of pounds buying second-hand cycling kit online. "One of my best finds was a Gore-Tex waterproof jacket for around £40 that would have been well over £200 new. I've also picked up Pas Normal Studios jerseys for under £50 that originally retailed for more than £150," he says.

While his experience has generally been very positive, he too warns that buyers need to be careful.

"Always keep payment within Vinted rather than moving the conversation elsewhere," he advises. "Inspect everything as soon as it arrives."

Vinted offers a Buyer Protection guarantee, which promises to refund you if your order doesn't arrive, if the item is damaged in transit, or if it's very different to how it was described. However, you only have two days after the item arrives to report any issues, so don't leave it sitting unopened.

While Pettitt uses Vinted for clothing, he has also bought bike parts and other products used via Facebook Marketplace. The one thing he would never buy used, however, is a helmet. "You don't know if it's been dropped or damaged," he explains.

Similarly, on online forums like Reddit, many cyclists seem game for buying and selling a whole host of kit items – the main exception being used bib shorts. As one commenter put it: "Used bibs gross me out, even if you did wear something underneath."

How to bag a bargain

When trying to bag a bargain, being specific with searches can help. Looking for a brand and/or collection name can bring up more precise results than simply searching for 'cycling jersey'.

On the flip side, you can occasionally do well with a general search if someone who doesn't know they have a valuable item lists it without a brand name or details. Identify it's a steal from the photos and you could be on to a winner.

Pettitt adds: "Save your searches so you're notified when new items are listed, especially if you're looking for a particular brand. And don't be afraid to negotiate or bundle several items together to get a better price."

Sisson suggests snapping something up immediately if it's "a drop dead good price" (and you're sure it's not fake). But, if not, waiting around can pay dividends, as sellers can become desperate to offload items. "Some things will sit in my favourites for a few months, then I'll think about dropping in a cheeky bid," he adds.

It can also work to buy kit for the opposite season that you're in. Sisson often buys winter clothes in summer when everyone else is looking for summer jerseys and vice versa.

Getting new gear for a great price is no use if it doesn't fit you. "Sizing in cycling can be inconsistent, but that's more of a brand issue than a second-hand one," Pettitt says. "I've bought a few items that ended up being too small, but I then resold them on the platform."

The best tactic is usually to stick with brands you already know where possible, he recommends. If you're trying something new, look up the original product page for sizing guidance, read reviews, or ask someone of a similar build what size they wear.

On a Reddit thread of cyclists sharing tips about buying second-hand kit, one commenter warned: "There are tons of men's Sidi shoes on eBay listed as women's. If you have extremely narrow feet like I do, it matters a lot. Women's Sidis are stamped with a W on the tongue. Most sellers don't know that, they see a smaller men's shoe and just list it in the women's section."

Even so, many riders are very positive in online forums about the experience of buying used kit online compared with more traditional avenues, like second-hand shops. The same commenter wrote: "There's a second-hand outdoor gear store in my city but unfortunately it sucks…the place is stacked up like a hoarder house. He's got crumbling 30-year-old bibs being held together with petrified grundle sweat priced at $70. I don't even want to touch some of the stuff, much less buy it."

Wear and care

Ultimately, though, it's not just about bagging a bargain. Clare Tuckey, who runs ReCycle & BiCycle, a shop selling vintage cycling clothes and accessories, says that caring for the kit you buy is often as important.

"Hand wash or use a wash bag to prevent snagging," she recommends. "Do a cool wash of no more than 30℃, use a non-biological detergent or a sports wash detergent, and NEVER tumble dry. This will ensure that your kit lasts longer."

Leaving sweat and bacteria on your clothes too long can make the fabric deteriorate and the odours hard to get rid of, so wash them as soon as possible. Be careful with suncream, as it can stain or degrade the material. And avoid washing your kit with towels or items that have velcro: those abrasive materials can ruin the delicate fibres of your gear.

After all, making sure your current kit goes the distance can remove the need for buying second-hand altogether.

They are Specialized's best gravel shoes, with a premium aesthetic, lofty performance caims, and a pretty lofty price tag to boot.

I have a lot of time for Specialized. I know a good number of their staff both here in the UK and over at its HQ in Morgan Hill; their approach to product design is thorough, and their thinking is often many steps ahead of the competition. But when the Ares launched, I was irrationally angered by the claim that it was seven watts better.

The claim was unsubstantiated, and a small asterisk clarified that it was compared to a non ‘Body Geometry’ shoe (Specialized’s in-house ergonomics technology), which could be inferred as meaning it's not seven watts better than any of its other shoes, since they all use the tech to some degree.

It could also be inferred to mean that it was comparing to another brand’s high end shoe, such as a pair of Giro Empire SLX or Bont Vaypor SL… or it could be in comparison to a pair of Birkenstocks. It didn’t say.

That same claim is being repeated here, and while I’m sure these are better than some other shoes to an equivalent tune of seven watts, don’t be expecting life-changing performance improvements. Especially ones that you can't get for a significantly lower price than the £399.00 / $550.00 these will set you back.

Design and aesthetics

The S-Works Recon Evo is built on the new Body Geometry Natural Last, which Specialized claims reduces forefoot pressure by "up to 44%" compared to previous iterations. It’s not quite as wide as the last used in many of Lake’s shoes, but I'm told it's 2.5mm wider than the Torch shoe, which itself was 4mm wider than the S-Works 7.

Support features include a Varus Wedge for forefoot stabilization, arch support to maintain foot shape under load, and a Metatarsal Button designed to reduce nerve compression and pressure points.

The upper is largely the same as found on the Ares 2, including the patented 'PowerHug' closure system which wraps across the upper to lock the midfoot and stabilise the heel. Specialized introduced a similar technology on the Ares 1, arguing it improves power transfer by increasing foot-to-upper contact in the back half of the pedal stroke, thus reducing energy loss to material flex.

BOA S3 dials are used for retention, with two dials per shoe for upper and forefoot adjustment, and it must be said, the machined aluminium dials add a real premium look to the shoes.

For its gravelly intentions, the outsole includes rubber toe and heel lugs for traction, along with TPU 'pontoons' – Specialized's word, not mine – on either side of the cleat. Notably, these pontoons are interchangeable via two screws accessed from inside the shoe.

There are two available mounting points for the cleats, and the mounting plate itself can slide back and forth. This means plenty of adjustment in cleat position, although I do find the whole setup is further back than I’m used to. I have mine around 5mm from the furthest-forward adjustment, to get the pedal axle to line up where it usually sits. The sole itself is otherwise smooth, save for a small rubber plate that adds grip at the midfoot.

Overall, these features combine to create a shoe that looks fantastic, and thankfully the white is pretty easy to keep clean. There's no fabric that stains, unlike the Fizik Vento Proxy shoes I reviewed last year.

Performance

I've ridden and raced in the Sub 6 (a long time ago), the S-Works 7, and the original Ares, and these are definitely wider, but on my feet, they don't feel 'better' (or worse) as a result. Just wider.

I’m a pretty textbook case for why this new wider last exists... my average-width feet are technically too wide for the majority of normal cycling shoes (according to a measurement by a Specialized bike fitter), but I have found these to be very comfortable. But then again I’ve never found an issue with the narrower shapes of older S-Works shoes, nor indeed Trek, Giro, Northwave, Fizik, Sidi, and more.

Overall though, these shoes are pretty good across the board. At £399, you won’t be surprised to hear that, but they’re comfy, stiff, secure, breathable, and reasonably lightweight at 764g (with the standard insoles that come with it).

They're also pretty easy to clean, as demonstrated by the gallery below...

The Boa dials are excellent. They tighten in the opposite direction for each foot, which sounds wrong until you've tried it the other way. They pop open to loosen, or can be backed off if you just want to loosen them a couple of clicks. They can get stiff or gritty if you let muddy shoes dry (or ride on the beach), but rinse them under warm water while dialling them back and forth, and you'll reinstate their butteriness once again (you can thank my colleague Tom for that tip).

The wrap-over strap is nice and secure, but I find the heel cup a little slippier than I’d like, meaning in hard sprint efforts, my heel isn’t as locked in as I’ve felt in other shoes.

I buy into the notion that there are comfort benefits to be found for most people with a wider last, but in all honesty I didn’t find much improvement here. As I mentioned above, though, I never have issues with narrower shoes, even though my feet are too wide for them.

Maybe I’d find a noticeable improvement by going wider again, and maybe someone who is uncomfortable in narrow shoes but not quite as wide as this Recon last, would notice the change more than me.

Still, I didn’t find any extra stability from the extra platform, and instead simply noticed more crank rub.

Elsewhere, the grip when walking is pretty good. And the shoes don’t pinch at the ankles when doing so. The pontoons are deep enough to bury the cleat and prevent it from fouling on the ground when walking. It does still foul on rougher surfaces, but the overall traction is decent on both hard and soft ground, and the lugs at the front are big enough to grip nicely.

Value

So they're very good shoes, but the problem is I don’t really think they’re 25% better than any of the other high-end gravel race shoes that retail in that £300 / $400 ballpark. I certainly don’t believe I'm suddenly seven watts better off when wearing them.

As much as I really do like wearing these shoes, I can’t in good conscience claim they are good value, nor really recommend them. The price is just too high and the performance delta just isn’t high enough to represent the hike.

Their one saving grace in the value stakes is that top-end Specialized shoes will happily take a beating. I've been using the last round of Recon Lace shoes since 2021 and save for being filthy, they're in perfect working order.

But I would still suggest you save some money, buy a £300 shoe – which is still a lot of money, but a fairer reflection of the cost of flagship performance – and buy yourself a new skinsuit if you’re worried about those seven watts.

Verdict

The Recon Evo shoe is good. Great even. But at £399 / $550 I think it needs to even be better than that.

The new last is a definite improvement on paper, but at least for my feet, I don’t feel it offers wholesale change. If you have nominally wide feet, there are plenty of high-end shoes at a much lower price, that either already offer a similarly wide last – Lake being the prominent brand – or that which come in a wide fit option, such as Fizik.

If you're at the pointy end of very big races and you want to squeeze out a modicum of extra performance no matter the cost, these will be the shoes for you, but for everyone else, they're probably a little overkill.

The Sweet Protection Tucker III 2Vi is, as the name suggests, the third iteration of the Tucker helmet, but not the third version of the road helmet. The Tucker started life out as a TT helmet with removable visor, but like the Giro Aerohead, became the aero road helmet of choice for the Uno-X team. This latest iteration is road only and aims to improve ventilation while improving aerodynamic performance.

Using a mix of MIPS and proprietary 2Vi technologies, Sweet Protection also aims to ensure this helmet maintains the primary focus of protecting riders’ heads. There is no Virginia Tech helmet rating yet, but the Falconer helmet from the brand has been a five-star scorer there.

Aero performance comes via specific channelling and has been designed with F1 input and tested on the heads of the Uno-X Mobility WorldTour teams. The previous iteration was amongst the top scorers in our wind tunnel testing, so just how does this latest model work in the real world against the best aero road helmets?

Design and Aesthetics

Sweet Protection starts off by stating that the Tucker III 2Vi has been designed with expertise from a Formula 1 aerodynamicist, and in collaboration with the Uno-X Mobility cycling team who are well renowned for a highly data driven approach. That sets it up very nicely for delivering on the claims it makes as a performance aero helmet. The brand states that in testing the new Tucker III 2Vi saves 10 watts at race speeds over the Sweet Protection Falconer Aero 2Vi helmet, a significant saving claim.

Aerodynamics on this helmet starts with the vents. There are three larger vents at the front across the centre line of the helmet designed to pull air in. This air then follows internal channels and exits at the rear through the exhaust. Each vent and channel has been specifically designed to limit pressure at the front of the helmet, and turbulence off the rear. The byproduct of this is supposedly enhanced ventilation via accelerated internal airflow at race speeds, 150% more air volume than the previous Tucker 2Vi according to the brand. Meanwhile the vents have a rounded entry and exit design to limit turbulence further.

There are two additional front vents on the temple for storing glasses. These can be covered with vent caps to limit drag, but for UCI events those are not allowed as removable sections have been banned. These vents feature rubber grippers designed to hold Sweet Protection eyewear securely but work well with a range of glasses.

The helmet features a very narrow profile by comparison to other aero road helmets. This has been achieved via what the brand calls a 4-Shell Construction, four separate shells for the front, rear, main body, and top of the helmet bonded onto the foam inner. The front and rear shell panels are described as Impact Shields and aim to boost protection further.

MIPS Air Node is used internally for rotational impact protection. Additionally, Sweet Protection uses its own 2Vi system, which integrates the MIPS system into the brand's own Impact Shields and padding for comfort and safety combined. There is no Virginia Tech safety rating yet, but previous helmets from the brand have performed well.

Fit comes via the 360 Occigrip Fit System. This uses a full band around the helmet with adjustment from a rear dial on the adjustable cradle. This allows adjustments to spread pressure evenly across the entire orbit of the head. The straps are adjustable in length, but there are no height adjustments around the ears to reduce material for claimed aero performance boosts.

Performance

First things first, getting the helmet on my head. The Sweet Protection Tucker III 2Vi sits quite narrow on the head, it’s essentially the antithesis of the POC Cytal or Octal helmets which have become slightly synonymous with a more mushroom head shape. Think Toad in Mario.

I am personally quite a fan of this design choice, it also tends to perform reasonably well aerodynamically for road positions where the head tends to move more and also riders spend more time in an upright position. Similar to the new Specialized S-Works Evade 4, the Sweet Protection also features a more cut-off rear taper, instead relying on virtual aerofoil shapes for wind manipulation. Again, this feature is designed to assist in performance with the head down, similar in design methodology to the Giro Eclipse Pro which went for a short tail rather than long tail design for this reason.

Back to the fit itself, although narrow in external shape, the helmet itself fits my head well. I have a fairly regular head shape. Narrow helmets like the Abus Gamechanger 2.0 are too narrow, while most other helmets tend to fit well. The 360˚ fit system on the Sweet Protection works well to give solid retention across the entire hemisphere of your head.

There are two fit gripes straight away though. Firstly, the straps have no adjustment around the ears. This was not a problem for me personally, but it may be for plenty of people. It’s likely a weight saving and frontal area reducing design choice, but it’s not a huge area for gains, and limits fit adjustment. The other issue is the rear dial, it works well, but ergonomically it’s not great. The grip for the dial is textured, but very thin and can be difficult to get enough traction on to tighten as much as you might desire. In gloves I can imagine this would be even more problematic.

Some interesting little add-ons that came with this helmet as well; a helmet bag is included, which is not a given even at this price, but also some vent bungs. These are not allowed for UCI races as they are removable parts, however, for road bike time trials these little bungs can fill the gap where the glasses arm storage is. For a time trial, it is very unlikely that those vents will be required as glasses stored in the helmet ruin the aerodynamics somewhat. Instead, the bungs fill the gap and maybe add to the watt savings by a very marginal, unperceivable manner. It’s very Dave Brailsford ‘marginal gains’, but every little helps.

In terms of the performance of the helmet on the road, I’ll focus first on the more tangible features. Aerodynamics are notoriously hard to judge subjectively, whereas weight and ventilation are far more tangible. Weight wise, this is a fairly chunky helmet, but the reality is that it doesn’t feel heavy when riding. It’s only 44g heavier than the Giro Eclipse Pro, so for the real weight weenies maybe this matters, but for the majority it makes virtually no difference.

Ventilation is an area where this helmet actually performs better than might be expected given the limited quantity of vents. At the front there are three main vents at the point of highest pressure, the two side vents for glasses arms storage, and then the rear exhaust which is one entity made up of three exit flows for the internal channelling.

At speed, the amount of air that enters the helmet is frankly exceptional. 35+kph provides a large amount of airflow, likely due to the combination of placement of the vents, large internal channels that are deep enough, and well positioned exhaust. At higher speeds, I’ve even felt some lift in the helmet as the volume of air flowing through the channels has been enough to lift the helmet up from my head, but not enough that it’s caused any concern for the security of the helmet. I’ve been testing this in temperatures of between 20-28˚C, so not excessively warm, but on the hotter side for riding, especially when going up steeper climbs with low airflow. Even in these scenarios, the ventilation has not been bad. It’s certainly not as good as a far more vented helmet such as the Giro Aries, or even the Giro Eclipse Pro. It is, however, far better than a lot of fully dedicated aero helmets that I have tested.

When things do get a bit too warm and the sweat starts dripping, those glasses storage vents are quite useful. They keep the glasses nicely out of the way, but do only work with straight armed options. POC Propel glasses struggle to fit, while POC Elicit or Oakley Velo Kato models fit well.

In terms of aero performance, we have yet to test this helmet. We have tested the previous version though, which was 10^th in our huge helmet testing round up out of the aero road helmets. That helmet was only around 2w off the best on the test at 40kph. At 50kph that helmet was then relatively faster, jumping ahead of some other helmets. If we take Sweet Protection at its word, then the Tucker III should be an improvement on the previous helmet, especially given the design brief of 45-50kph performance. The only test data however states that the Tucker III “saves 10 watts at race speed” versus the Sweet Protection Falconer Aero 2Vi. We don’t know what ‘race speed’ is, but let’s assume 45-50kph. At 40kph we found the Tucker 2Vi to be 1.52w faster than the Falconer Aero averaged across all yaw angles. 10 watts is a lot, and testing protocol is not divulged, but we can probably assume that the new Tucker is faster than the Falconer for sure, and likely faster than the Tucker 2Vi. Although the new Evade 4 is no faster than the Evade 3, even the 2, but has greater ventilation. Simply put, we can’t confirm how fast this helmet is without testing it, but there is good reason to believe it will perform well given the design methodology and performance of the previous generation.

Safety wise it is hard to judge the helmet. There are no Virginia Tech Helmet safety ratings yet for independent testing, but the 2Vi, MIPS Air Node, and use of shell protection have all been used in helmets that have scored well. The Sweet Protection Falconer helmet has scored 5 stars in that testing and uses many of those safety features which boosts confidence in the Tucker’s performance.

Value

Breaching the £300/$350 barrier, this is not a cheap helmet. Looking across the range of premium aero helmets that we’ve tested. In fact, in our helmet testing of 47 helmets, only the Kask Nirvana and Elemento, and POC Procen Air and Cytal cost more. Every other helmet stayed under the £300 mark, including those that performed better than the Sweet Protection Tucker 2Vi (previous generation version). Even the latest Evade 4 stays under this price, while some helmets such as the Ekoi Aero R also exceed that price barrier.

If you want the fastest aero helmet, you can likely get something that performs nearly as well for a good chunk less cash. I can’t however comment on the ventilation capabilities of some of those faster performing helmets in our test, and that was an area where the Tucker III genuinely impressed me for a race helmet.

But then other issues such as the retention dial, lack of strap adjustability, and no independent safety testing scores so detract from the overall value.

This is certainly a very good race helmet, and having tested a lot of different ones, this is genuinely the helmet that I lean towards when choosing what to race in. However, if I was spending my own money, I would likely veer towards the Giro Eclipse Pro, mainly for the greater ventilation along with lower price, even if at the cost of a watt or two. If I wanted the best value, the Van Rysel RCR-F is still really the class leader there.

Verdict

The Sweet Protection Tucker III 2Vi is an impressive race day aero helmet. The limited number of vents are carefully placed, alongside strategic channelling, to provide a huge amount of airflow when travelling at speed, which remains adequate even at slower climbing speeds. We don’t have independent aero testing yet, but there is good reason to believe this will be a strong performer. It’s not the lightest, but that doesn’t detract from performance in any tangible way.

The lack of adjustability, and limited performance of the retention dial are however not ideal, while at present there are no independent safety testing validations. I may be able to forgive some of this, if it weren’t for the £309 price tag which exceeds that of many competitors. A helmet bag being included doesn’t do enough to stop this helmet from not being the best value. Yet, it is the helmet I reach for when it comes to race days.

Now the Abu Dhabi-based AI development company is inviting the team’s fans to design its next racing helmet on its Helmetverse platform. The winning design will be manufactured by MET, the team’s helmet supplier, and worn by the team during a stage of the 2027 UAE Tour.

The grand prize winner who submits what’s judged the best design and a guest will be flown out on a VIP trip to watch the 2027 UAE Tour, with exclusive race access. They’ll also be presented with a helmet in their design worn by the team, as well as loads of team merch, including a signed UAE Team Emirates-XRG jersey.

It’s a competition that isn’t just for seasoned graphic designers, but one that anyone can get involved in. With G42’s AI specialism, the hard work is taken out of designing your helmet, as you just tell the AI what colours, graphics and effects you want and it will generate your design automatically for you, with a high definition on-screen representation.

You can edit your design once it’s been generated or start again. Helmetverse will keep all your previous designs for you, so you can easily go back to a previous version if you prefer it to a more recent iteration and you can work on it some more if you want to improve it. It’s a fun platform that’s easy to use and you can keep up to five versions of your helmet.

Once you’re happy with your design, submit it and you can then browse the full library of other designs and vote for your favourite or view the leaderboard of the most popular.

Entries close on 13 September and the most voted for designs will be put before a final judging panel made up of UAE Team Emirates-XRG staff, along with representatives of G42 and MET helmets. They’ll select the winning entry from the shortlisted designs based on creativity, originality and how well it functions as a race helmet.

It’s the second year that G42 has run the Helmetverse competition and last year it attracted over 20,000 entries. You may have seen the winning design from Gizem Akdağ worn by the team, including Tadej, on Stage 5 of this year’s Tour de France from Lannemezan to Pau.

To take part and submit your helmet design, visit helmetverse.ai. The competition closes on 13 September 2026.

So if you fancy gearing up for some fresh bike wear, including the best bib shorts, high-performance jerseys and all-weather cycling jackets (the sunshine won't last forever), there are bargains for everyone.

Explore the Rapha Summer Sale and save 51% or more.

Below I've selected 15 of the best cycling deals, and if any catch your eye, our expert testers have reviewed and rated the majority of them. Anyone requiring a detailed deep dive, then a quick search on Cyclingnews will provide just that.

Rapha has not publicly announced an exact end date for this year's summer sale. However, based on the current timeline and their historical trends, we'd expect it to run until late August 2026. Don't hang around, though, as some items are showing as limited sizing, and like all sales, it's only while stock lasts.

Rapha Summer Sale Men's Deals

Rapha Summer Sale Women's Deals

The highlighted deals are from the UK Rapha Summer Sale, but for those in the USA, the Rapha US Summer Sale has plenty of equally appealing discounts.

Below you'll also find the best prices on Rapha apparel from other retailers, relevant to your currency and location.

Nike was formerly the sponsor of the US Postal and RadioShack teams as well as the personal sponsor of former rider Lance Armstrong. The famous Nike swoosh also adorned leaders' jerseys at the Tour de France from 1996 to 2011.

Since then, Nike hasn't been involved at the top level to a major extent, though in recent years it has reappeared with a spate of minor deals.

Last year, Demi Vollering signed a personal partnership deal with Nike. The brand has also partnered with her team FDJ United-SUEZ, as well as Dutch squad Visma-Lease a Bike, supplying both squads with off-bike lifestyle apparel. Riders from Uno-X Mobility and Unibet Rose Rockets also sport Nike casualwear off the bike, and Mark Cavendish wore Nike-branded cycling shoes during his last Tour appearance.

Are more deals, and perhaps a re-entry into on-bike clothing and sponsorship, on the way?

"It has indeed been a while since we were 'in the game' in cycling," Nike project manager Kieran Ronan told WielerFlits earlier this month.

"Over the years, we have left various sports for diverse reasons, only to sometimes return to them later. We saw the collaboration with Nimbl as the perfect new opportunity," he added, referring to Nike's crossover with the company which produces Visma-Lease a Bike's racing clothing.

"Nimbl brings absolute high-end products to the market. For instance, more than 190 riders in the WorldTour peloton are now riding in their cycling shoes," Ronan said.

"Their products are spectacular and align seamlessly with Nike’s core values: innovation, putting the athlete first, and daring to shake up the industry with something new. I see great potential in this partnership. If we combine our innovative forces, we should be able to present something very new and exciting in the future."

At present, Visma-Lease a Bike are on the search for a new title sponsor for 2027 and beyond after Norwegian business software company Visma announced it would take a step back rather than increase their financial commitment to the team.

There's been no news on that yet during the ongoing Tour de France, and it appears that Nike won't be ramping up their commitment to racing quite to that extent so quickly.

"Everything is open for discussion at the moment," Ronan said, when asked about the brand's chances of a comeback as a main clothing sponsor.

"The primary focus right now is on our return to this sport. We are closely monitoring professional cycling, but we are not losing sight of the needs of the recreational cyclist," he said.

"We want to passionately provide them with the very best products. It is absolutely our ambition to play a major role in cycling again.

"Personally, I have been an active touring cyclist for a very long time. The fact that I can now wear a Nike swoosh myself again during my rides gives me great satisfaction. It is a privilege to be closely involved in this return."

We'll have to wait and see if the swoosh makes a return at the top level anytime soon. For now, though, there will be more collaborations with Nimbl, at the very least.

"We are proceeding cautiously and thoroughly so that we get the right products to the right consumers," Ronan said.

"Nike will also continue to collaborate with Nimbl over the next one to two years to introduce more products."

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The Quoc M Pro Lace shoe launched in March this year, and along with the more affordable Escape Road models, brings a lace-up option to the already popular Quoc road shoe range.

The M Pro Lace shares a lot of the same design features as the existing M3 Pro and M3 Air shoes that I have tested and reviewed over the last couple of years.

Lace-up road shoes are, if not fully in vogue, certainly a lot more popular of late amongst the best cycling shoes. There’s the aero angle, and they are regularly cited as being more aerodynamic than a boa or ratchet-equipped shoe, and the sports big names such as Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro are all using lace-up shoes from a range of manufacturers right now.

Quoc says the shoes are ‘born from the pro peloton’s growing preference for lace precision’ and I have found the lacing system to offer more stability and better foot retention than the dials used on other Quoc models.

The shoes feature the existing Quoc carbon fibre sole, with a three-bolt drilling pattern, and a similar type of upper; the laces and new ankle opening design to facilitate them are the talking point here.

The shoes are also a little less cash than other top-level Quoc options; laces, it seems, are cheaper than dials, and the shoes carry an RRP of £290 / $400 / € 360

I've used them exclusively since the start of the year for all of my riding, training and three road races plus track meets; I’ve even crashed in them (not by choice). Here’s what you can expect if you are considering buying a pair.

Design and aesthetics

Quoc appears to have a formula for its road shoes, and the M Pro Lace is very much in keeping with that blueprint, design and aesthetics-wise.

The shoes use the same carbon fibre sole as the M3 Pro and M3 Air; it is a stiff unit that has always been plenty stiff enough for me for any performance-focused road riding. It is also a three-bolt-only setup, so you will need a four-bolt adaptor for Wahoo Speedplay cleats.

The uppers are also very similar in feel and looks to the aforementioned models. It’s a slightly textured mesh TPU surface with perforations all along the front two-thirds of the shoe and two smooth panels, a ‘laminated toe border’ in the brand's words at the front and rear, which makes cleaning them easier.

The major change has come with the addition of the laces, and with them a different tongue and ankle opening area which, to my mind, works better than the previous offerings.

I asked the brand about aero considerations, and it confirmed that aerodynamics hadn't been a specific consideration; the addition of laces was more about 'fit, durability and comfort'.

12 eyelets route the laces up to the split tongue, which splays across the front of your ankle comfortably; at least it has for me. There’s also an elasticated band about halfway down the tongue to tuck the laces under; they have never moved in use for me, and this has worked very well.

The shoes come in one colour, and that’s white, which is always music to my ears. If white isn’t for you, you will have to look elsewhere, I’m afraid.

The shoes themselves look super clean and stylish, and they generated plenty of praise on Instagram and online at launch. Styling is simple, with a ‘Quoc’ wordmark on the outside front of each shoe and a ‘Q’ on the toe box.

Included with each pair is a Quoc tote bag for storage, and three sets of interchangeable polystyrene arch supports, the same as its other models; these stick on, and whilst they aren’t in the same league as G8 or Solestar when it comes to insoles, it’s useful that riders can at least tweak their arch support to suit.

Performance

It’s worth saying straight away that if white shoes are your thing, you will not be let down with these. I think it’s fair to say they are some of the slickest-looking road shoes you can choose right now; clean, minimalist and stylish, at least to my mind.

I’ve ridden them for several months straight and have had a very good experience again. The cleat bolt holes are in a decent spot, not too far forward, and I didn't feel I had any issues in that department, although again, it's a personal one.

I actually sized up with this model to an EU 44, and have been happier for it. It’s a personal one; the shoes run true to size, I would say, but the added size has given my toes a bit more room and left me with a better feel overall - food for thought as these aren’t the widest or most voluminous shoes on the market. For wider shoes, consult our best wide cycling shoes guide.

The shoes aren't as comfortable as the Q36.5 Unique Pro shoes, a personal benchmark for me, but those sit at least a price bracket above.

Stiffness isn’t a concern for me; I’ve sprinted at the end of road races, on the track and done 45-second max uphill intervals and have never once wanted a stiffer shoe. All good on that front.

What is a big improvement for me is the improved foot retention and stability that the laces bring to the table. One of my few gripes with the M3 Pro shoes was the slightly subpar performance from the closure dials, which didn’t do the best job at tightening the shoe down and doing it evenly.

The laces allow you to tighten things down more evenly, across the whole foot, and importantly they haven’t developed slack or worked loose, something I feared.

The eyelets extend around the ankle, which helps lock things in, and the shape of both the laces and eyelet holes, and the not huge amount of stretch in the laces means they stay put. It’s an effective combination all round.

I’ve called Quoc shoes slipper-like in the past due to the open, almost cutaway ankle area; the laces mean this area has changed, and the shoes offer improved ankle support and a better hold when everything is closed down and the laces are tied.

Performance in the heat has been good; I’ve experienced slightly sore feet at the end of a long, hot road race, but this is down to overall fit more than a shoe's ventilation, I think.

The shoes scrub up nicely; it isn’t an effortless wipe-clean job, and you might need to do some light scrubbing and possibly wash the laces or replace them if they really get dirty, but they clean up nicely all told.

Value

In the context of the Quoc range, these shoes are a little cheaper than the M3 Pro and Air models, which have dials, and for me, having used all three pairs, they would be my choice.

A new product being cheaper is refreshing these days, so that’s a positive.

Overall, the shoes are still a lot of money, but it’s fair to say they are in line with or even cheaper than many premium road shoes these days, and they look fantastic, which is always going to draw you into buying something.

A key competitor is probably the Specialized S-Works Torch lace, which retails for around the same money. The Torch may have a slightly stiffer sole, but shoes are a personal choice.

Verdict

The M Pro Lace is my favourite addition to the Quoc range so far. They still look fantastic, but the laces improve the shoes' retention, foot hold and overall performance. I think more riders will be able to get a fit that works for them in them.

They are also cheaper than the dial equipped options, and if being able to tighten your shoes down well is of importance to you, I'd recommend you go for these and save a few dollars.

Since the rider, not the bike, represents around 80% of the total frontal area, drag reduction in clothing design is arguably more significant. At the same time, it’s harder to quantify and optimise. While the bike and wheels are rigid structures, riders move around on the bike, and each rider moves around and sits differently, so the fastest clothing for one rider could be the slowest for another; it's highly personal.

Assos and EF Pro Cycling granted Cyclingnews exclusive access as they wind tunnel tested Assos’s race clothing and explained how they’re working to develop the most efficient clothing for EF’s riders, the complexity involved and how different race kits suit different riders and situations.

Cyclingnews followed as Assos, EF Pro Cycling and their partners tested a range of skinsuits and other clothing at the Flanders Bike Valley wind tunnel in Belgium, with star riders in the men's and women’s teams in late April 2026, ahead of the year’s major stage races.

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More than a dozen speedsuits

Between its men’s, women’s and development teams, EF Pro Cycling’s roster exceeds 60 riders. That’s a lot of pro cyclists to equip for the team’s list of sponsors, which, as of the start of 2026, includes Swiss clothing brand Assos after its high-profile move away from Rapha.

It’s not just the sheer volume of clothing needed for 60-plus riders that’s impressive; it’s the amount of detailed analysis required to develop cutting-edge kit for the pros. Between Assos, EF Pro Cycling and other staff and riders, around 20 people were involved in the multiple days of wind tunnel testing.

Races are now invariably ridden in one-piece speedsuits to optimise the rider’s aerodynamics, and these need to be fitted precisely to individual riders. Assos employs a team of seamstresses at its factory in Switzerland to tailor its speedsuits to the exact measurements of each rider.

There’s not just one speedsuit for all conditions, either. Assos has over a dozen options for different conditions, and it issues multiple suits to each rider.

Luca Zanasca, Assos’s Senior Manager of R&D and Innovation, explains that different speedsuits are optimal, depending on the race conditions and the role or tactics of the rider wearing it.

EF Education-Oatly’s Cédrine Kerbaol told Cyclingnews that Assos supplied multiple different skinsuits to the team's riders. Which to choose for a race day was determined by her and EF Education-Oatly’s performance team, depending on factors such as the weather, race speed and her role during the race.

Alongside wind tunnel testing, Assos also tests its speedsuits in the climate chamber at Flanders Bike Valley, measuring riders’ core and skin temperature. The climate chamber can be set to temperatures from 16 to 32°C and humidity levels between 75% and 80%, to confirm how effective a speedsuit will be for hot or cooler races.

A climber such as Richard Carapaz might choose Assos’s lightest speedsuit, which is also more suitable for very hot days. Assos’s wind tunnel and track testing shows that it’s not as aero as its fastest road speedsuit though.

There’s another speedsuit that Assos recommends to EF Pro Cycling riders for fast races, breakaways and sprinters, while there’s an even more aerodynamic speedsuit available for the Classics.

Assos’s fastest time trial suit is saved for the cream of its riders who specialise in that discipline, including Kerbaol, who was French national champion in the discipline in 2023 and again in 2025 and GC hopefuls such as Noemi Rüegg who won the Tour Down Under for a second time in succession at the start of 2026.

It gets even more complex, as Zanasca explains that the textiles used for its skinsuits differ between men’s and women’s versions. The average speed in a women’s race is lower than in a men’s race, and female riders are in general of smaller stature.

To take a concrete example, the Liege-Bastogne-Liege men’s race, which was run the week before Assos’s wind tunnel testing, was won by Tadej Pogačar at an average of over 44km/h, whereas Demi Vollering won the women’s race at around 37km/h.

Assos also adjusts the cut of women’s speedsuits, moving the seam at the waistband upwards, so it doesn’t sit over the rider’s hips, where it might cause irritation. It has positioned its pockets lower down at the rear, overlapping with the shorts part of the speedsuit to reduce their impact on drag.

Different results for different riders

A speedsuit doesn’t perform equally for all riders, which is why EF Pro Cycling and Assos had booked the Flanders Bike Valley wind tunnel for multiple days to test the different options with the team’s elite men and women riders.

First to be tested was Kerbaol, who the following week broke away in the finale to win stage 3 of the Vuelta Feminina. She was followed by Rüegg, 2026 Women’s World Champion Magdeleine Vallieres, and a selection of EF Education–EasyPost’s elite men’s team riders.

Each was tested with a range of road and time trial speedsuits and accessories, including overshoes, during multiple wind tunnel runs at a variety of airspeeds, with the drag figures displayed on a large screen in the corner of the wind tunnel control room. Time trial suits were tested at higher wind speeds and a lower yaw angle (the angle of the wind as it hits the rider) than road speedsuits.

By the end of her testing at 1:30 pm, Kerbaol had been in the wind tunnel for multiple runs for over four hours. Elite time trialists can typically hold their position with just 1% to 1.5% variation in drag, but by this time Kerbaol’s drag figure was varying by 4%, suggesting that she was becoming tired. Holding a time trial position can be difficult even for elite riders.

Comparing Kerbaol’s wind tunnel results to other elite riders, Assos found that the same speedsuit could produce drag figures relative to baseline that were up to 8 watts different.

Alongside its current speedsuit range, Assos also tested prototypes for new designs. Zanasca explains that Assos works with its technical fabric supplier and the team to select the optimum fabrics for its future skinsuit designs, which it was testing with EF Pro Cycling’s riders for the first time.

Again, there was variation between riders, with different degrees of drag reduction relative to the baseline speedsuit.

It’s not just wind speed which affects drag; the rider’s position on the bike and the interaction with the helmet can have a significant impact on the results, which is why testing individual riders is important to ensure they choose the best speedsuit for them.

On the other hand, it's very resource-intensive, which is why EF Pro Cycling only tested its top riders.

Multiple options for poor weather

It’s not just warm weather performance that’s important. Particularly in the early season, race conditions can be wet and cold.

Assos provides EF Pro Cycling riders with not one, but three different shell layers: its Equipe RS Schlosshund lightweight rain jacket, Mille GTS Sturmprinz rain jacket that’s more robust and the Equipe R Thermo short-sleeved rain jersey. Between them, they give riders the option to layer up for the worst conditions or to choose thinner layers for rain protection when it’s warmer.

Shell jackets are significantly more draggy than a speedsuit though, so Assos is working on improving the aerodynamics of its poor weather gear.

Add to that training kit for warmer and colder conditions, including bib shorts, jerseys, tights and accessories, as well as branded off-bike clothing, and equipping the EF Pro Cycling squad is a substantial commitment.

Zanasca won’t provide details, but equipping a complete pro team with a full range of cutting-edge clothing, along with the R&D needed to develop and test new designs, clearly takes considerable resources.

Subscribe to Cyclingnews to unlock unlimited access to more in-depth tech features like this, plus our comprehensive race reporting, industry-leading Cyclingnews Labs tests, and much more.

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Shop the Le Col Summer Sale and save up to 60%.

If the Tour de France has inspired you to get out riding in the current glorious UK weather, the Le Col Summer Sale offers the perfect excuse to upgrade your cycling gear.

With such hefty discounts, the Le Col Sale is offering exceptional value for money, and it's sure to be popular. So if something catches your eye, I'd suggest snapping it up fast before it's gone, as like all the best sales, it's only while stock lasts.

Below I've added a selection of Le Col kit from the Men's and Women's Sale, and there are plenty of socks, you can never have enough cycling socks, right?

Some readers may be aware that Le Col entered a period of administration earlier this year. However, it is now trading normally again.

Le Col Men's Summer Sale Highlights

Le Col Women's Summer Sale Highlights

The Le Col Summer Sale is live now, and there is plenty of kit to choose from, and there is free shipping for orders over £130.

If you are a Le Col Member then there are exclusive member only reductions, including the LC_CC kit.

The chosen deals are from the UK site, but Le Col US is also carrying discounts, and worth checking out if you're US-based.

Below you'll also find Le Col deals from other retailers, which show the best prices in your territory.

Known for his expensive watches, often wearing a $350k Richard Mille whilst racing the new RM 64-01 Tourbillon Colnago takes luxury even further with a likely price tag of near or over $1 million.

As is customary, the price is not readily publicised, but similar manual winding tourbillon Richard Milles sell for anywhere between $500,000 and $2 million, or even more in the case of some special models.

What's more, there will be only 50 of the special edition watch, only adding the exclusivity and demand, and therefore the price.

However, unlike his other Richard Mille watches, it seems unlikely that Pogačar will wear this one on race days. BikeRadar report that Colnago told them that he won't be wearing the new piece at the Tour de France over "personal safety concerns" related to wearing such an expensive item in public.

The watch

The watch itself is a collaboration between Richard Mille and Colnago, aiming to "bring some of the most recognisable codes of the Italian brand into the world of high watchmaking", a joint press release read.

Various design aspects of the watch are inspired by elements of Colnago bikes.

"The skeletonised movement recalls the structure of a racing frame, with bridges and components arranged according to a visual logic that evokes tubes, geometries and drivetrain," the brands said.

"The star-shaped sections of the bridges are inspired by the renowned Gilco tubes, one of the most recognisable design signatures in Colnago’s history; the micro-lugs pay tribute to the C Series, the iconic line of bicycles handmade in Cambiago; while the white, blue and gold colour palette echoes the language of the brand’s most exclusive creations from the recent past."

Colnago's iconic ace of clubs symbol is also on the crown of the watch, the most obvious nod to the collaboration. The watch uses a manual-winding tourbillon movement for its mechanism, and is made of materials including blue quartz, red gold and titanium.

Pogacar models the watch in Richard Mille's promotional material and product page, which the brands say "strengthens the link between the project and competition at the highest level, where every detail can become decisive and where innovation, instinct and precision coexist in the same athletic gesture."

Though the face of this new watch, as possibly Colnago's most famous ambassador, several other cyclists and sportsmen wear Richard Mille watches, including Mathieu van der Poel and Mark Cavendish.

The world’s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! Find out more.

The kit features a series of light greys and blues, designed, according to a team press release on Tuesday "to give the riders a distinctively fresher summer-weather look and feel while standing out clearly in the peloton throughout July."

The 2026 Tour de France will see Pinarello-Q36.5 leader Tom Pidcock back at the event for the first time since 2024, in what will be his fourth-ever participation. The Tour features two stages to Alpe d'Huez, where Pidcock won in 2022. After what the rider recently himself described as 'some difficult weeks', a win in the ultra-mountainous Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica 10 days ago strongly suggested the Briton was back on track for his keenly-anticipated return to the Tour.

As for what Pidcock and his teammates will be wearing in the race, according to Q36.5 creative director Lodovico Pignatti Morano, “the use of lighter colours [in the new kit] visually sharpens the detailed presence of Q36.5’s technology within the rider's garments, drawing attention to the body-mapped construction of the rider’s skinsuits."

According to the press release the limited edition jersey is designed for racing in typically hot July conditions, using three different fabrics, and ultralight mesh materials to help thermoregulation. It also uses new 6mm ribbed aero sleeve fabric.

The limited edition bib shorts uses four-zone body mapping and puts a special emphasis, the press release states, on "comfort, support and thermoregulation over the longest and hardest race days".

The collection also features a limited edition light blue summer cap. It will launch shortly before the Tour de France gets underway on July 4 in Barcelona.

The world’s biggest bike race deserves world-class coverage. Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our unrivalled reporting of the 2026 Tour de France. From Barcelona through to Paris, our experienced team will bring you breaking news, expert insight, and in-depth coverage from every stage as the battle for the yellow jersey plays out. Plus, access the Cyclingnews app to follow the action on the go! Find out more.

For riding glasses to perform at their best, they need to fit well, so getting the right ones for you and your proportions is a must. Oversized frames are definitely in vogue right now, but they are unlikely to work well if you have a smaller head. If that's you, avoid the Smith Syncline, Oakley Sutro, POC Devour and Madison Crypto models featured here.

With all of these considerations in mind, our experts have been putting the best mountain bike sunglasses to the test to compile this in-depth buying guide. We've covered every option here, from top-of-the-range to budget models.

Skip to the bottom of the article if you need advice on what to look for when choosing the best mountain bike sunglasses. Or if you're looking for models suited to a wider range of uses, see our guides to the best cycling glasses, and best cheap cycling glasses.

Best mountain bike sunglasses overall

All Julbo Fury models use the same lightweight full coverage frame, this holds the lenses in the center only to stop distortion and makes switching optics super easy. Ventilation gaps right across the top and sides, and a lower edge cut-out keeps steaming up to a minimum, too.

You can see the frames themselves all around your peripheral which might annoy some, but we found it's not enough to significantly reduce the field of vision. The soft shock-absorbing fixed nose pieces and elastomer ear grips keep the Fury secure even on the most furious descents. The locking hinges are still firm on all three sets, even after months of heavy use. There are also Fury S glasses for smaller heads, and kids' versions.

We found that the Class 1 optical quality is excellent with various fixed tints available. What really sold us on the Fury however, was its outstanding toughness. We tested three sets of Furys in pretty much constant rotation for several months, and they’re still virtually unscathed.

Our reviewer Guy Kesteven reported: "Not only does the Julbo Fury offer zero distortion, steam-free clarity, secure comfortable fit and full coverage protection in a variety of easy switch optics and frame colours, it's also outstandingly tough, which boosts its value right up to a wise investment rating."

To find out why we gave them a maximum five-star rating, read our full review of the Julbo Fury sunglasses.

Best budget mountain bike sunglasses

Tifosi is best known for designing top-performing sunglasses in all shapes and sizes at super-affordable price points. The Sledge is large lens option and aims to bring big coverage and styling with a wallet-friendly price tag.

The Sledge comes equipped with Smoke, All-Condition Red, and Clear interchangeable lenses. Not only does this make them great value, but it also means there's a lens tint option for every condition imaginable.

It's not just the lenses that have been well thought out though. The glasses look good with a frame that balances ventilation with aerodynamics in equal measure. Included in the box are a zipped hardshell case and a soft microfiber cleaning pouch.

I tested the Tifosi Sledge glasses over several months, and they were excellent performers that punched above their price tag. Three lenses means they are really versatile too.

For more info, see the full Tifosi Sledge review.

Best mountain bike sunglasses for field of vision

Despite the 100% Speedcraft SL's somewhat road-orientated stylings (they are Peter Sagan's glasses of choice), they are a great choice for off-road use too.

With a feather weight and an almost completely uninterrupted field of vision, we found it's easy to forget that you're wearing them. The pair I tested comes with the mirrored lens, clear lens, soft case, and spare nose grip that all fits nicely in a hard case.

The hydrophobic lenses stop large water beads from forming and while I found they occasionally misted up when I was working hard, the fogging quickly cleared. The Speedcrafts may look a little delicate, but I tested them on muddy, wooded trails for several months and the lens was still scratch-free.

The 100% Speedcraft SL is definitely a premium piece of eyewear. The overall package is comprehensive and helps make these top-end riding sunnies a worthy investment.

Check out our full review of the 100% Speedcraft SL sunglasses.

Best mountain bike sunglasses for comfort

Smith has decades of experience in eyewear design, so it's no surprise that this recently launched model hits the mark in a great many respects.

The Syncline gives goggle-like levels of eye coverage in a pair of MTB glasses. That means a huge lens (145mm wide by 70mm tall), with plenty of curve to give a super wide field of vision. The optical clarity is excellent too.

The glasses felt light on my face during testing and, despite their size, weigh just 35g. I didn't experience any pressure around the sides of my head or ears when riding in them for extended periods. Rubber sections on the arms give extra grip and comfort, while the rubberised nose-piece has three levels of clickable adjustment to help you dial in the best fit. Smith's proprietary rubber (called Megol) is designed to give extra grip when in contact with sweat.

The lens height can cause issues with deeper-fitting helmets, but to negate that, Smith has added a rubber bumper on top of the glasses where they could come in contact with the front of the helmet. While I definitely experienced some rattle on rockier descents, the bumper meant that it was less of an issue than it would have otherwise been.

There are five different options available for a range of light conditions, including a photochromic model. They all come with a spare clear lens and a very neatly designed hard case.

Best mountain bike sunglasses for lens quality

The Prizm Trail Torch lens that came with my test Sutro sunglasses is superb. The rose-coloured tint enhances contrast, making it easier to pick out what's what on the trail and works well in varied or dappled light conditions.

It's also extremely hardy. I've been riding in Prizm-lensed Sutros for several years, and despite being roughly shoved in packs and pockets, they are still scratch-free. In fact, I've got a pair of Oakley Radar EVs with a Prizm lens that I've had for over a decade, and it's still in great condition.

Despite affording substantial eye coverage, the Sutros rarely fog up, aided by a fairly deep nosepiece that helps to allow plenty of air to flow around the frames.

The Sutros weigh in at 32g, and feel pretty light on the face with no pressure on the ears. The arms were a good fit for my head, but they are on the longer side, so they did interfere with some deeper-fitting helmets, such as the Bell Super Air.

The Oakley Sutros are an excellent option for trail riding, that work brilliantly in all but the most dimly lit wooded trails.

Best photochromic mountain bike sunglasses

We've tested a number of different glasses with photochromic lenses and while they all darken rapidly, they take several minutes to clear again – which isn't great when you plunge from full sun into dark wooded trails. What makes the Rudy Project Cutlines stand out from the competition is that it uses a red-tinted ImpactX 2Laser lens, which works well even when darkened on dimly lit trails.

Another standout feature that really impressed me was how well the lens resists damage even after months of mistreatment during testing. Despite being shoved in pockets and packs – even when already dirty – the lens is still scratch and blemish-free.

It also stubbornly resists fogging most of the time. I did get some faint misting when coming to a stop after arduous hot climbs, but it cleared rapidly as soon as I started moving again. In my review, I summed up the Cutlines as "Overall, these are the best photochromic sunglasses for MTB I've ever tested."

For more, see the full Rudy Project Cutline review.

Best mountain bike sunglasses for optical clarity

Koo is the sunglasses partner for the helmet manufacturer Kask, and has a small range of sunglasses from casual to premium on- and off-road performance models. Spectros and Demos are at the top of this range, with the Demos being more orientated to off-road use, whether that's mountain biking, cyclo-cross or adventure riding.

They come with a Zeiss lens that wraps around the face to give better peripheral vision. The lens is vented and the glasses sit reasonably away from the face to keep them fog-free, although in our tests we found that does invite the possibility of more dust, bugs or debris getting inside.

Thin arms, two-position adjustable nose piece, ribbed nose pieces and Megol elastomer strips meant they played well with every helmet we tried them with, and we found they stayed securely in place when riding.

Reviewer Guy Kesteven reported that the, "Demos sunglasses deliver excellent optical clarity in a stable, comfortable format. They’re particularly good if you spend a lot of time head down, looking up in an aero tuck."

Best mountain bike sunglasses for coverage

Big sunglasses are on trend and whether you think they look cool or ridiculous, larger lenses have their benefits, offering a better field of view and more protection. If you are looking for the biggest pair of mountain bike sunglasses, nothing comes close to the POC Devour.

The huge interchangeable Carl Zeiss lens is mounted over the front of a smaller full-frame, which allows POC to offer unmatched coverage without affecting the ergonomics of the glasses. There is the option of a regular lens, Clarity Trail, or Clarity Road which gives complete protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays and is treated with an anti-scratch and Ri-Pel hydrophobic and oleophobic treatment to combat dirt, water, and sweat.

While they are designed to pair perfectly with POC's own helmets, we found they played well with all the other MTB helmets we tried too, despite the massive size. The adjustable arms sit close to the head to avoid any interference with deep helmets, although the hooked ends means they don't work with most in-helmet storage.

Our reviewer Graham Cottingham reported: "Unless you want to wear goggles, no other eyewear offers close to the coverage and field of view as the Devours, making them one of the best options out on the trail. The comfortable fit means they will also cross over to gravel and road duties too."

For more details, check out our POC Devour review.

Best goggle-like mountain bike sunglasses

Ok, technically, the Fox Purevues are goggles, but we've included them in this list as they have some glasses-like features and are made for open-face helmets, so they are worth considering and work really well.

Google-level eye coverage gives excellent protection, but the Purevues also afford decent peripheral vision – just like the best glasses. They're secured with a goggle strap, so there's almost no risk of them slipping off mid-ride.

Despite being designed for open-faced helmets, the Purevues work just fine with full-faces too. With less padding than regular goggles and fully open sections on either side of the nose, ventilation is really good, with fogging being a rare occurrence even when sprinting up bike park climbs in a full-face.

The cut-outs on the lower edge of the lens mean there's a little more pressure put onto the padded cheek sections, but I found the Purevues were comfortable to wear for long periods, making them ideal for trail and enduro riding.

At 102g, they're lighter than most goggles, but without a full external frame, the lens is not as well protected as other models. The slightly domed lens shape is a little unusual and a look that may not work for everyone.

Our test pair came with two clear lenses, but the red-coloured Vivid option has been well-received elsewhere and is said to work well in low light. As well as an extra lens, you also get two nosepieces, and everything comes in a sturdy storage case.

Best affordable mountain bike sunglasses

The large, big-coverage design of Madison's Crypto glasses is in line with all of the best glasses currently available, and the fact that the brand produces this awesome package at a killer price point is a big bonus too.

Madison ships all Crypto glasses with three lenses, all of which best suit certain conditions and environments. We're big fans of the clear option for UK winter riding, the darker option is great for bright days and sunnier climates, while the rose-tinted lens is a great all-rounder.

Thanks to the adjustable nose piece and non-slip rubber arm tips, you can be assured the Cryptos are going to remain secure when riding. The addition of a sturdy hard case and soft pouch means they'll be safe when you're not wearing them too.

We're also keen on the Crypto's more casual styling, which looks good off the bike as well as on.

How to choose the best mountain bike sunglasses

With so much choice out there, it can be really difficult to make a decision. Luckily we're here to help, so if you're struggling to figure out which mountain bike sunglasses would suit your needs more, here is everything you need to think about first.

How we test the best mountain bike sunglasses

Our experts tested these sunglasses out over many months in different light conditions, and various weathers, from cold and wet to dry and dusty. We assessed their performance in a wide range of categories, including coverage, optical clarity, steaming/fogging, fit and comfort, stability, weight, lens changing systems, and durability.

French optics brand Julbo has been stopping people from squinting on sunny days in the Alps for over a century. While the lightweight, yet secure frames, and excellent optic options make its Fury glasses a worthy contender amongst the best mountain bike sunglasses, it’s their toughness that makes them genuinely outstanding.

Design and performance

To put that into perspective, while I’m never deliberately clumsy or careless with glasses, I have a horrible habit of finding they’ve got so scratched they’re barely usable after a month of testing. In fact, in some cases, I’ve written off seriously expensive and well-regarded brands in a single ride without even knowing how. In contrast, I wore three sets of Fury sunnies in pretty much constant rotation for months in all weathers, and they emerged virtually unscathed apart from a couple of slight 1.5-2mm fine lines. Depending on the model, the lens uses an anti-fog and oil-repellent coating to resist steaming, water blurring, and greasy finger marks. There are prescription options, too.

The Class 1 optical quality is excellent with various fixed tints available from the darker oil/mirror 13-percent light transmission Spectron 1, to the more temperate climate-suited, light boosting 49-percent light transmission Spectron 3 Hi Contrast lenses that have been my go-to option. Alternatively, you can invest in the ‘Reactiv’ lenses that change from almost clear to smoke tint depending on the ambient light levels. With light transmission down to 87 percent (‘Clear’ is 90 percent), these are great go-to specs for everything that’ll even work at night. The transition isn’t instant though, so if you’re diving into dark woods off a sunny hilltop, expect to be fumbling for a few seconds. They’re not oil-repellent coated either so they need cleaning more frequently.

All Fury models use the same lightweight full coverage frame which holds the lenses in the centre only to stop distortion and make switching optics super easy. Ventilation gaps right across the top and sides and a lower edge cut-out keep steaming up to a minimum, too. You can see the frames themselves all around your peripheral which might annoy some, but it's not enough to significantly reduce the field of vision. The soft shock-absorbing fixed nose pieces and cunning ‘violin bow’ elastomer ear grips keep the Fury secure even on the most furious descents, apparently without sticking to hair (unfortunately, I can’t confirm or deny that).

The locking hinges are still firm on all three sets, even after months of heavy use and there are Fury S glasses for smaller heads. You get a cleaning/carry bag and a soft case with every pair, and considering the quality and durability, the pricing is excellent compared to other premium brands.

Verdict

I normally temper my excitement at getting fancy new specs as I know they’ll somehow be ruined within a few weeks. Not only does the Julbo Fury offer zero distortion, steam-free clarity, secure comfortable fit, and full coverage protection in a variety of easy switch optics and frame colours, it's also outstandingly tough, which boosts its value up to a wise investment rating. Expect to clean the Reactivs a bit more though, and be ready to buffer a bit in savage strobing conditions.

US brand Tifosi makes a massive range of sun, sports, and safety glasses that cover everything from golf to pickleball. There are a ton of options to choose from its cycling range, and the Sledge tested here is one of the brand's best sunglasses for MTB.

Design and specifications

The full framed Sledge glasses I was testing came with three lenses (Clear, AC Red, and Smoke) covering a range of light conditions from night riding to full sun. Though other Sledge models come with different lens options. The lenses have cutaways in the upper edge to aid ventilation and are pretty straightforward to pop in and out of the frame. The frames are made using Grilamid TR-90 – a polycarbonate known for stress and weathering resistance – with a rubberised section running from mid-way down the arms to the tips.

The frames measure 144mm wide by 59mm deep, while the arms measure 120 from the edge of the frame to the tip. The frames and a single lens weigh in at 38g.

Performance

I've ridden wearing the Sledge glasses in all kinds of light conditions, all weathers, temperatures ranging from freezing to baking, and on a number of different bike types. The three lenses supplied basically have you covered for every light condition, but I mostly used the clear lens (for night rides and dark winter days) and the AC Red for pretty much everything else. The red lens did an excellent job of removing harsh light without darkening my vision and was ideal for mixed conditions where I was riding in and out of wooded sections – where the darker Smoke lens proved to be too much.

The glasses stayed in place well without causing any tightness on the sides of my head from the arms like some models can. The Sledge specs also played nicely with all the MTB helmets I tried, even the ones with a deeper fit that have had compatibility issues with some other models I've tested.

The only negative for me is that they were prone to misting up more than most from sweat when slowing and stopping This was probably down to the full frames sitting very close to my cheekbones and eye sockets which left little room for ventilation from below. However, the close fit also meant that trail debris getting behind the lens was an extremely rare event – even in properly filthy winter conditions where mud and roost were flying everywhere.

Verdict

In terms of value, the Sledge sunglasses are very hard to beat. They look good, are tough and comfortable, and work well in every light condition. The propensity to fog up when working hard at slower speeds – particularly in the cold – isn't ideal, but it could be sorted by pulling the glasses away from my face a little. Overall, the fogging isn't a deal breaker for me though and I'd still highly recommend the glasses given everything else they offer and their maximum-bangs-per-buck price tag.

I'd previously never been a fan of photochromic lensed sunglasses for mountain biking. While they're quick to darken, every lens I'd tried was too slow to clear once I'd entered a dimly-lit area such as the woods. The Rudy Project Cutline glasses with their ImpactX 2Laser Red lens changed all that though and are definitely one of the best mountain bike sunglasses I've ever tested.

Design and specifications

Rudy Project's Cutline sunglasses come in a wide range of frame and lens options. I've been testing the Matte Black frames with the ImpactX 2Black lens ImpactX along with a 2Laser Red lens – available separately.

The semi-flexible lenses are said to be unbreakable "for life", though the warranty is for two years. ImpactX lenses are made using "patented polyurethane optical polymers" which Rudy Project says results in a lens that's lighter than polycarbonate and plastic alternatives. The lenses are also treated with a number of different anti-reflective and hydrophobic layers and coatings, they're also vented with four slots in the upper part of each lens.

The frames are a mixture of stiff (arms and hinges) and flexible (everywhere else) rubberised plastic. The nose piece can be adjusted to suit, and the total weight for the glasses is an average 36g. If you want to lighten the load on your face or change your look, you can convert the full-frames to half-frame or barely any frame, as the top and two bottom sections can be removed individually. You can also customise your glasses by buying a frame kit of a different colour and swapping out the interchangeable parts.

There's plenty of flex in the glasses and the arms point slightly inwards to softly grip the sides of your head, while the tips of the arms turn slightly outward.

Performance

I've been testing the Cutline glasses for many months in a wide range of riding and light conditions and have been seriously impressed. The glasses feel secure yet light and comfortable, and have worked well with every helmet I've tried them with. Lens quality is top notch and the glasses are big enough so as not to impair your vision in any way.

The supplied 2Black lens works well in open riding conditions. However, like every photochromic model I've tried, it's too slow to return to clear when entering darker sections of trail – which forces you to drop your pace for the four minutes or so that the lens takes to react to the dimmer light.

Switching to the additional 2Laser Red lens (sold separately but also available with different frames) made a huge difference though. Red lenses work well in shady woodland conditions, so the time it takes for the lens to lose its tint has never been an issue even when plunging from full sun to forest darkness.

I've been really impressed with how tough the ImpactX lens is too. The Cutlines have been regularly splattered with winter filth, stuffed into packs and pockets while already dirty and without their soft case, but remain scratch and mark-free after many months of riding.

Almost as impressive is how resistant they are to fogging. I've had zero issues with them at lower temperatures, but have had occasional mild fogging when working hard on slow climbs during hot days. The lens clears as soon as more air moves past them though and I've yet to ride in a pair of glasses that never fog up at some point.

Verdict

Rudy Project's Cutline glasses with an ImpactX 2Laser Red photochromic lens are an excellent option for almost all light conditions. In fact, the only time I've taken them off to see more clearly has been in wooded trails when riding after dark – as there is still a minuscule tint in the lens even at its clearest.

Scratch resistance on these glasses is second to none. The Cutlines have been properly mistreated but there's not a mark on the lens.

One very minor point is that you can't actually buy the Matte Black Cutline with the 2Laser Red lens I've tested here unless you shell out for an additional lens. However, it is available with the red/back Carbonium frame option and both models come with the same $269.99 / £219.99 / €254.90 price tag.

We’re definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to 100%’s eyewear. There are 14 different lines within the Sport Performance range – that’s even before you start to consider the spread of goggles or more fashion-orientated specs. Then, as well as the Speedcraft SLs we’ve been testing, there’s also the standard Speedcraft range, Speedcraft XS models for smaller faces and the Speedcraft Air which includes tech that allows wearers to control their level of nasal dilation. Oh, and they all come in a ton of different frame and lens combinations.

With loads of other brands around, it's not just 100% that give you an overwhelming number of options when it comes to choosing new eyewear, but handily we've done some of the hard work for you with our guide to the best mountain bike sunglasses. We recommend having a look at that once you've read through our 100% Speedcraft SL review.

Design

There’s not much to choose between the original Speedcraft glasses and the SL versions tested here. However, the SL models are designed with a shorter lens and a more compact nose bridge to better suit smaller faces such as mine.

The package comes in a robust hardcase that zips open and closed. Inside are stowage slots for the Speedcraft frames with their red mirrored lens (HiPER Red Multilayer Mirror Lens+ to be more precise) and the included clear lens, plus a softcase and spare rubber nose grip.

The shape of the flat-edged (which presumably give aero micro-gains for our roadie chums) Speedcraft frame is continuously curved and has a slightly rubberized finish with soft black arm tips for additional comfort and grip. The finish of the half-framed lens is mirrored but not completely opaque and gives off cool looking red-orange reflections.

Performance

The Speedcraft SLs feel very light on your face and, despite feeling super-secure, there’s no noticeable tension behind the ears from the soft rubber-tipped arms. With their half-frames and large lens, you get a fantastic and almost completely uninterrupted field of vision – even the nose piece is almost invisible.

The clarity of the mirrored orange/red lens tested (loads of other tints are available) is excellent and gives a completely consistent view across your full range of vision. A hydrophobic and oleophobic finish means that water or oily fingerprints shouldn’t stick to the lens. In practice, this means that larger water drops rapidly run off, leaving only a trail of tiny droplets that are invisible to the wearer. Finger marks do occur on the lens, but they are relatively easy to wipe away.

The mirrored lens tint is relatively light and does a great job of removing glare and improving contrast rather than giving a darker field of vision. Colours are more muted than on comparable Oakley mirrored lenses, though they are still a touch on the heavy side for riding in heavily wooded trails or low light conditions.

I’ve worn the Speedcrafts in temperatures around zero to just into double figures and, like any glasses, they can occasionally mist up when you’re working hard. Due to the open design of the bottom of the lens and the amount of air between lens and face, they clear up in moments though.

Despite the slightly fragile appearance of the half-frames, the Speedcraft SLs have proved themselves to be surprisingly robust. Despite several crashes in them on woody trails, the lens itself is still scratch-free after months of riding. Perhaps white frames are not the wisest choice for off-road use though, as my test pair now have a slightly brown hue in places due to various mud splats and handling them with dirty riding gloves. Fortunately, the Speedcraft frames come in several other colours, though we’d definitely recommend black.

Verdict

The 100% Speedcraft SL is a premium piece of eyewear and one of the best riding glasses I’ve ever tested. The overall package is a comprehensive one and helps make these top-end glasses a worthy investment.

The lens is not ideal for low-light conditions, but then again, they are sunglasses and also come with a clear lens. Our only real concern relates more to the mucky nature of off-road riding rather than the Speedcrafts themselves. If you choose white or lightly coloured frames, they will inevitably become dirt-stained over time.

There is more to the Devour glasses than just their massive lenses and POC has added plenty of neat design features to tailor them for off-road riding, however, the size will always be the defining feature of the Devours.

So when it comes to the best mountain bike sunglasses, is bigger actually better? We have been riding the POC Devour glasses to find out.

Design and performance

The Devours at first appear to be a frameless design, however on closer inspection, there is actually a full-frame structure behind the huge Carl Zeiss lens. This separation of lens and frame is what has allowed POC to offer massive coverage without affecting the ergonomics of the glasses.

The frames themselves feature adjustable arms to tune the fit as well as a two-position nose bridge. There are little grippers on the ends of the hooked arms to add a little more grip when wearing or stored in a helmet.

There is the option of regular lenses, Clarity Trail, or Clarity Road, which give complete protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays and are treated with an anti-scratch and Ri-Pel hydrophobic and oleophobic treatment to combat dirt, water, and sweat.

Although the glasses' size makes them visually striking, the branding is pretty subtle. There are POC logos molded on the arms with a little more POC aesthetic text printed on the frame and tucked behind the lens. POC offers a number of frame colour options as well as a wide selection of lens styles to suit your riding conditions.

The Devours were originally released alongside POC’s Kortal helmet, pairing perfectly with a helmet designed to work with goggles. I used the Devours with a number of other POC helmets, including the trail-focused Axion and road/gravel Ventral and Omne, and found they worked well with those too. I didn’t have any issues with helmets from other brands either such as the Oakley DRT5 and Smith Forefront 2.

Real estate isn’t cheap with the Devours priced at $250 / £230 making them expensive even in the premium cycling eyewear realm. POC includes a second clear lens to soften the blow which is handy for mountain bikers and those who ride in dim conditions. It would be nice to see a hard case included at this price point, especially as you will want to keep your lenses in good condition as new ones cost $100 / £80.

Performance 

With such a huge lens, it's no surprise that the Devours feel considerably bigger than any other pair of sunglasses I have worn. The field of view is second to none though and you really have to strain your eyeballs into the peripherals to see the frames.

I thought the lens size might cause issues with non-POC helmets but there have been no problems so far with any of the helmets I have tried. The size means there is loads of coverage and the extended edges add a good amount of side protection too.

The fit is very comfortable and they stayed in place well when rattling down the trail. Although the lenses are wide, the narrow frame shape sits close to the face and avoids any interference with deep-fitting helmets.

Swapping the lenses is an extremely simple process, with six hooks holding the lens in place it's just a matter of popping the lens out the top two and removing the lens. Refitting the lens is equally as straightforward – line up the lens in the bottom four fixtures before pressing it into the frame. There is plenty of flex in the frame which means the process doesn't require force or manhandling either.

The combination of the front vents and set-back frames quickly takes care of any potential fogging – especially if your helmet has channeling across the brow. It’s a bit too effective though and, as someone who suffers badly from watery eyes when riding, I found the Devours to be too breezy when riding at speed. To the point that I needed to clean the tears from the lenses between some trails.

The tears weren’t the only things I was having to clean off the lenses. Despite the claimed oleophobic treatment, the lenses were prone to fingerprints. The clear lenses were particularly bad for stubborn fingerprints that were tricky to clean off.

Verdict

If you're looking for the biggest sunglasses, whether it's for style or protection from eye-poking, the Devours are going to be at the top of the list. Unless you want to wear goggles, no other eyewear offers close to the coverage and field of view as the Devours making them one of the best options out on the trail. The comfortable fit means they will also cross over to gravel and road duties too.

The design is top-notch when it comes to the shape and structure of the frames and lenses. Adjustability assures a good face fit, they work well with a range of helmets and the lenses are simple to swap. There's a good range of tints and colours to tailor the sunglasses to your regular riding conditions, although there isn’t a photochromatic option.

Ventilation was always going to be a key consideration for POC when combating heat and misting with such a large set of glasses, unfortunately, they overachieve making fast descents quite literally eye-watering.

The 19-year-old French super-talent crashed at speed on a descent on the penultimate day of racing, and while he bounced back up to plug an enormous gap before limiting his losses on the summit finish, he was out of the race very soon into the final stage.

Seixas said he could barely grip the handlebars and while all four limbs were covered in bandages by Saturday night, it was his hands, he revealed, that took the brunt of the fall.

"I slid like a toboggan, on my front," Seixas said. "I grated myself on the road – I was sliding for 20 or 30 metres I think. On a dry road that does you no good.

"When you slide on your hands at 70km/h, your hands pay a heavy price."

It's not that Seixas was not wearing gloves; he was wearing a pair of black fingerless mitts. But he felt the damage would have been much worse otherwise.

"What saved me today was maybe the gloves, because the gloves were torn up.

"I was wearing gloves but even so my hands were battered. Without gloves I wouldn’t have been able to get going again, I don’t think.

"Always wear your gloves when you ride," he repeated in separate interviews.

The pros and cons of wearing gloves

Road cycling gloves have been in decline for some time, with many high profile pros eschewing them except on key occasions like Paris-Roubaix, though even Mathieu van der Poel goes without them for the cobbles.

They indeed will, thanks to real, or in recent times synthetic, leather or suede palms, help with abrasion in the event of a fall. But generally speaking cycling gloves are not designed with this in mind.

Outside of a crash, their primary function is to provide additional comfort to the hands on the bars, adding padding to the hypothenar (the inside of the heel of the palm, as you look down at your own hands), under which the ulnar nerve passes. Impingement of this nerve can cause numbness or tingling in the little, ring, and index fingers.

Why are pros ditching them in increasing numbers, then?

Well, bars are more ergonomic than they used to be and so with a decent bike fit, they rarely need extra padding.

Weight and aerodynamics may be a factor, too, though a pair of the best cycling gloves hardly tip the scales by much.

From personal experience it's likely cooling and comfort at play; the back of the hands and the inside of the wrists feature blood vessels very close to the surface of the skin, and covering these up can give you an unpleasant, clammy feeling.

Exposing the skin to the air – especially a body part that's very much in the wind – can aid in keeping body temperatures down, and this is likely the risk-reward dilemma at play.

Who wears gloves?

The shoes in question are a lace-up road model that we don’t recognise; Del Toro has been racing in them since at least last year.

Whilst Sidi offers several lace-up options, it doesn’t officially sell a lace-up pro-level road shoe.

Del Toro and Sidi announced a partnership in March last year, and it seems likely that both parties have been collaborating on a new product.

Once we started going back over various race images, it seems Del Toro has ridden in various shoes with three different lacing systems over the past several months, and even raced and won at Tirreno Adriatico with odd shoes on.

Italian brand Sidi is a famous name in the cycling world, with a great many riders using the brand's products over the years. Brand founder Dino Signori passed away aged 90 in March this year.

Not all pro cyclists have exclusive cycling shoe deals; generally it seems to be something reserved for the sport's bigger stars.

One such example of a pro shoe deal is Remco Evenepoel’s S-Works Torch Remco model, which arrived around this time last year ahead of the Tour de France and was said to have come at Evenepoel's specific request for a lightweight climbing shoe.

The Tour de France isn't far away, and as the pinnacle of the cycling year, it's always a prime time for brands to release new equipment. We recently spotted several new bikes at the renamed Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes this year, which Del Toro himself is competing in.

Cyclingnews has reached out to Sidi for more information on the shoes.

What shoes is Del Toro wearing?

Del Toro raced in Nimbl shoes until he switched to Sidi last year, and for the most part we have seen him racing in the brand's Shot 3 shoes, which feature a two-dial closure system and a carbon sole or ‘chassis’, in the brand's words, which extends up around the heel, making them quite easy to spot.

In a lot of races Del Toro has ridden this year, he has regularly used a lace-up Sidi model that appears to have a very similar sole to the Shot 3; could this be a lace-up version of the same model?

Lace-up shoes are generally considered to offer an aerodynamic advantage over a shoe with closure dials, which sit more prominently on the face of the shoe. The likes of Tadej Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard all race in lace-up shoes from DMT, Specialized and Nimbl. Riders also use dedicated dial covers over the middle of their shoes now to smooth airflow.

As far back as late 2025, Del Toro could be seen using a lace-up model with five eyelets on either side of the shoe's quite tall tongue, as well as a black lace toggle or holder.

Whilst the shoes carried Sidi logos, the system looked a little more prototype than a full production version, with a black toggle at the top of the foot being used to cinch the thin-looking lace down. It's a similar-looking system to the Rapha Pro Team Lace-up shoe.

Later versions of the shoes that have been used this year have seven eyelets and a white toggle. Suggesting different variants of the shoe have been tried and tested.

After doing some digging, we also noticed Del Toro lined up for Stage 6 of Tirreno Adriatico with odd shoes on.

The Mexican star wore a Shot 3 on his left foot, and one of the unknown shoes on his right, actually crossing the line to claim victory that day wearing the odd shoes. Perhaps he was carrying out something of a head-to-head comparison between the two models.

Jasper Philipsen also won Nokere Koerse in March wearing odd shoes; his shoe change came mid-race, however, after crash damage forced him to change into an unreleased Shimano model.

Del Toro is racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (previously the Dauphiné) this month and is riding in what seems to be a third and far more polished version of the shoes.

The eyelet layout appears to have changed again, with fewer being used, and what looks like a front lace and/or toggle cover flap or patch is in place at the front of the shoe.

This looks far neater than some of the previous shoes, particularly the pair with a black toggle from back last year. This pair look closer to a finished article, and we will keep an eye out for them at the Tour de France next month.

The shoes now look a lot cleaner, and whilst we don't have any information or a launch date yet, you can't say they haven't been tested in competition.

The Oakley Velo Mach road helmet has been on the market for over a year now and has created waves in that time. Developed with the Tudor Pro Cycling WorldTour team, this is Oakley’s most aerodynamic road helmet.

Oakley says it was ‘designed for real-world riding positions and sprint stage dominance’ and its minimal venting and ‘flow conditioners’ – small fins on the helmet shell to reduce drag and increase airflow attachment – hint that it could be a competitive model at first glance, and it slots in alongside the best road helmets.

It’s a nice-looking lid too, which is always important if you're spending your own cash on kit. The Velo Mach even came out on top in our last CN Labs helmet aero test, beating the until now undisputed top dog when it comes to 'normal' fast road helmets, the Specialized Evade III (the old one, at least).

This is another very competitive road option if you are looking for a quick road helmet. Oakley offers it in two versions, a non-MIPS and a MIPS-equipped version. I’ve been riding in the non-MIPS version pretty much all year, using it for all of my riding, training, and for a road race. The non-MIPS version carries a RRP of £255 / $310 / €300.

We have the data from our own wind tunnel test, and months of real-world testing to pair with it now. If you care about how competitive your helmet is and are on the lookout for a new one, this review should help with your decision-making.

Design and aesthetics

The Velo Mach is a part of Oakley’s ‘helmet eyewear system’; the helmet was designed to pair with the brand's Velo Kato sunglasses. A concept that makes sense, given this is an Oakley helmet.

The brand will probably say you will be fastest when wearing the helmet with a pair of Velo Kato sunglasses, but not everyone is going to wear it with them. I haven’t, and you certainly don’t have to.

Oakley sponsors the Tudor Pro Cycling squad, and the Velo Mach was designed with extensive input from the team, with the overall goal of developing the fastest helmet possible. The brand doesn't however offer up any specific aero claims regarding the helmet.

Oakley cites over 1000 wind tunnel runs as well as CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) in the development of the helmet. Some team riders were scanned, and wind tunnel test mannequins were then produced from these scans for more accurate testing. Incidentally, Tudor Pro Cycling has an office at the SilverStone Sports Engineering hub, the venue where we carry out our own wind tunnel testing.

The result of the collaboration is a sleek helmet which uses three front vents, one large main one, and two side vents, which also double as sunglasses storage. Externally, three vents in the middle rear of the helmet are where internal airflow exits.

Two small rubber fins protrude from either side of the helmet in the back quarter. These 'flow conditioners' reduce drag and increase airflow attachment, helping the air passing over the helmet's outer shell to stick to it for longer. It’s a feature that doesn’t feature on many helmets, and I wonder if we will see more of it in the future.

The physical shape of the Velo Mach does remind me of the Evade III in places, with its narrow profile, shallow edges, and slightly squared off rear. It certainly strikes me as being physically a little narrower than some helmets I've worn, like my go-to Scott Cadence Plus.

Details-wise, the helmet comes with a soft bag, which is always handy, and the branding is subtle enough, with two Oakley ‘O’s on either side of the helmet and an ‘Oakley’ wordmark on the rear of the helmet.

Black, white and Red colours are available, and like the Van Rysel FCR, the helmet is available in MIPS and non-MIPS versions. The MIPS version costs slightly more, and it seems slightly odd to sell two versions of the helmet. Surely, MIPS is better for everyone on paper?

I questioned this, and Oakley responded on the choice to offer two versions, explaining;

"The Velo Mach is offered both with and without MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) to give riders the freedom to choose the helmet that best fits their riding style and personal priorities. By offering both versions, we want to ensure that every cyclist can make an informed, conscious choice based on what they feel is most relevant to their riding experience, while maintaining consistent standards in design, fit, comfort, and construction across the entire Velo Mach range.”

You can get into the weeds on the effectiveness of rotational impact reduction in helmets and head injuries. No rider wants to have to test their helmets' safety capabilities in the real world; it seems Oakley is just happy to give people the choice.

As of yet, the helmet hasn't been tested by Virginia Tech, which carries out independent helmet safety testing. A Virginia Tech score is a useful gauge when shopping for helmets, and whilst it's certainly not a deal breaker, it's a useful metric when comparing and reviewing things.

Performance

I’ve had an issue-free test period with the Velo Mach. I chose to size down from my normal medium size in helmets and went with a small for my test sample. I was somewhat between sizes and only have a small head, but the small has fitted me fine.

The helmet has been perfectly comfortable for me, though of course, everyone's head is different. Having no hair, I tend to be sensitive to uncomfortable helmet interiors, but there haven’t been any. I haven’t noticed the helmet in use for a single second. I can’t say fairer than that. Its padding and overall fit are very comfortable. There are no hidden surprises here.

I’ve kept riding into the warmer weather with the helmet to test its performance in muggier, hotter temperatures here in the UK, and it receives a big tick there. That large front vent does the trick, and the helmet does well in warmer temperatures, as does the 'TurboDry' pad fabric. I haven't used it in anything over thirty degrees Celsius, but it’s certainly a stronger performer than the Fizik Kudo Aero I tested when the temperatures rise.

The sleek retention system dial and adjustable helmet straps all do the job; the Oakley adjuster dial has a nice grippy rubber coating and offers plenty of fine adjustment, although the helmet cradle isn't height adjustable. It’s all been fit and forget for me, and I was happy riding in the helmet from the off.

Glasses storage has been solid for me on a range of glasses. I personally prefer to stick my glasses behind my head if I take them off, so storage is never a key concern for me, but the angle and spacing of the two side vents seem to hold the arms of the glasses very well.

Speed-wise, the Velo Mach came out top of the 'normal' road helmets in our last CN Labs helmet aero test. By 'normal' road helmets, I mean dedicated road lids without integrated visors, or models that were road-going time-trial helmets.

The full results are behind our paywall. We pay top dollar for wind tunnel time, so do think about subscribing if you want to get stuck into the full data set, and you will get access to all of our other tests too. To sum up, though, the Velo Mach was marginally fastest at 40 and 50 km/h in our testing, beating its closest rivals, the Trek Ballista, Canyon Stinger and Evade 3 by less than a watt overall.

It's good to know I've been wearing one of the fastest road helmets around, and I felt confident I was lining up in a competitive helmet for the road race I rode last month. The difference between helmets can be a decent handful of watts, and if you want to put yourself at least in the ballpark of the quickest lids out there, the Velo Mach will get you there.

I haven't crashed in the helmet, and the fact that it is a non-MIPS version hasn't bothered me, though I think I would spend a few extra dollars and get the MIPS one if I were buying (and go for a white one, as is my taste).

Value

The Velo Mach has an RRP of £255 / $310 / €300 for the non-MIPS version I have tested; if you want the MIPS-equipped version, it will set you back £280 / $340 / €330.

That price makes the $20 cheaper (in the MIPS version) than one of its closest aero competitors and generally fast road helmet benchmark model, the Specialized S-Works Evade 3, which I think it’s fair to say is a top choice for racers buying their own helmets who want a fast model.

We are into top-tier pricing here, and a number of helmets, such as the Kask Elemento and Giro Aries Spherical, all occupy this price bracket. The helmet's padding, retention system and dial, for example, are all fairly unexciting. They all work exactly as they should, and the padding is comfortable, but there's no real luxury or super high-end feel in the Velo Mach construction for the price.

I think the draw overall is the aero performance and fit and forget user experience over any luxury details or bonus features. If you want a fast helmet and like the design, you will need to decide if the cost is worth it for you.

Verdict

The Velo Mach is a good road helmet. It's lightweight and comfortable, the styling and overall design is good, it's been developed by Oakley and a WorldTour team and in our testing it came out on top against nearly fifty other helmets.

There's not much to dislike really, and it hasn't given me a second of discomfort or any other issues in months of regular use. If you are shopping for a new performance road helmet the Velo Mach should at the very least be one of the models you consider.

The Evade 4 then has a lot to live up to, especially at $350 — $50 more than its predecessor.

Despite most aero helmet manufacturers persistently seeking aerodynamic improvements, Specialized has, for the second time in a row, updated the Evade with no claims of being ‘faster’ in this sense.

I say that, but the brand’s wind tunnel operator tells me it is actually a smidge more aerodynamic, but the improvement is less than half a watt, so not something they’ll be shouting about.

Instead, the main goal of the Evade 4 for Specialized was to retain the same aero performance while increasing ventilation and adding comfort. To this end, it claims a 2.4% improvement in cooling performance.

Design and aesthetics

The S-Works Evade 4 bears more of a resemblance to the original Evade. The opening ‘MouthPort’ at the base of the brow has been brought back, the curvature of the vents as they follow the helmet from the front to the rear is more pronounced, with the return of the diagonal vent on either flank.

The exhaust vent from the Evade 3 at the rear remains, though, and this has been widened quite significantly to create a much more squared-off, more open rear, which I'm told is inspired by the TT5.

As a result, the helmet is actually now shorter in front-to-back length than before.

It’s a millimetre wider too, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but this means the internal shape is wider, and will ease the pressure complaints that some wearers experienced on either side of their head.

At face value, it’s impressive that the brand has made it shorter, wider and more ventilated without ruining its aero performance (assuming you believe its claims, of course).

To be completely honest, I prefer the look of the older helmet, but A, who really cares what I think? I’m not exactly the authority when it comes to fashion. And B, I don’t have to look at it when I’m wearing it. I also expect I’m just being averse to change, and when it becomes ubiquitous in the WorldTour, I’ll probably change my tune.

Inside, the retention has switched to a new, lighter-weight cable that is easier to tighten, similar to the one found on Trek's Ballista and Velocis.

It continues to use MIPS Air Node, but in a slightly new ‘Air Node Pro’ version that is claimed to better manage sweat. In reality, these are simply bigger than before, no doubt helping to absorb a little bit more of the moisture.

Performance

The first thing I noticed when putting the Evade 4 on is that it fits the shape of my head better. This is entirely personal, of course, and the Evade 3 was by no means uncomfortable, but there was a small pressure point at my crown — same on the Prevail — which has now gone.

I’m also pleased it has switched to Boa for its retention dial and straps, using the new FS2 system. I like the Boa system on the Ballista and Velocis, and that rings true here too. I feel you can cinch up the helmet a few clicks tighter, comfortably, with the pressure spread more evenly around my head rather than feeling like I’m just squeezing my head from the back.

Again, none of this was particularly bad in the Evade 3, but these are small, iterative improvements between two flagship helmets. You won’t find wholesale change here.

Specialized says the reintroduction of the ‘mouth’ at the bottom of the brow was for cooling purposes, especially for riders with lots of hair, which could stifle the performance of the other vents. Interestingly, I’m told it was also a request from the brand’s upper management, who wanted to bring back the visual DNA of the previous Evades. Albeit only if it could be done “for performance reasons.”

The cooling performance has been pretty good, so clearly they made it work. I really rated this in the Evade 3, and despite a small amount of overheating on a long, slow gravel climb in a humid Girona — which I think is beyond the limit of any helmet — I remained comfortable and unbothered throughout.

Speaking of climbing, it has gained a little weight over the previous helmet. Claimed weights sit at 290g for CE (Europe) and 330g for CPSC (USA), both in size medium. That’s around 20g heavier than before, which isn’t going to trouble anyone in the grand scheme of things.

From a safety standpoint, there hasn’t been any independent testing as yet, so it’s unclear exactly where it will sit in comparison to competitors. It will have passed the relevant standard in each territory, but that is generally a low bar pass-fail result. Once independent testers at the likes of Virginia Tech have published their results, we will be sure to add them here.

The other definition of performance in an aero helmet has to be its aero drag, and while I’ve no reason to doubt Specialized’s statement that it’s on par with the older helmet, I haven’t yet verified it in our own wind tunnel tests.

The Evade 3 was among the most aerodynamic helmets we’ve tested, though, so if Specialized is right in saying this is similar, then it’ll be no slouch.

It’ll be a couple of months before we’re back in the wind tunnel, though, so for the time being, let’s just go with the completely arbitrary and utterly useless statement of “it felt fast.”

Value

I’m regularly tempted to just write ‘laugh out loud’ in this section and move on, because evaluating the value of a helmet that retails at $350 seems a little ridiculous, and it’s about as personal as the way it looks or the way it fits.

But since the POC Procen Air and Kask Elemento are $400, it’s not the most expensive helmet around. And given the popularity of the Evade 3, it’s fair to say enough people think a helmet in this ballpark is worth their hard-earned cash, and the Evade 4 is a marginally better helmet at a marginally higher price. So… same same from a pure value perspective, but having covered the launches of both of the aforementioned, I do feel $300 is a threshold that many cyclists don’t want to go beyond when buying a helmet.

Of course, you can get helmets for half the price that offer similar crash protection, or better ventilation, or similar aerodynamic performance. Where the Evade comes good, though, is its balance of all three. It’s why the Evade 3 was crowned the best overall in each of our road, gravel and aero helmets buying guides. Based on my time with the helmet and this review, I doubt it’ll be long before this takes its place there, too.

Verdict

Do I think the Evade 4 is the best road bike helmet on the market? Maybe. It’s not cheap, and I prefer how the older one looks, but there’s no denying it’s a contender.

There’s little doubt it’s aerodynamic, the ventilation is great, the comfort is top-notch, the few extra grams gained aren’t problematic, and the overall performance is excellent.

It’s a lot of cash to spend on a helmet, but if you want the best product, that’s usually how it works.