It's Upgrade Your Ride Week here at Cyclingnews, meaning seven days dedicated to helping you, our readers, on keeping your bike in full working order, as well as advice on upgrades that will make it better than ever.
We appreciate that as Christmas draws ever closer and the cost of living crisis continues its vice-like grip, the purse strings might be feeling tighter than ever at the moment. With that in mind, the thought of upgrading your bike might be well down on the priority list at the moment. As a result, we'll be balancing our advice with helpful ways to save money while keeping your bike in tip-top condition... sure, a brand-new pair of wheels will be great, but what if buying a used bike is a better choice?
However, to spin that another way, times are tough right now, so it's particularly important to retain a focus on the things that bring you joy. If like us, cycling is a passion for you, then a broken bike won't allow you to blow off steam when you've had a tough day at work.
What's more, for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, winter is taking hold and getting out on the bike can take some serious self-motivation. Upgrading your ride to make it a more comfortable - and safe - affair, such as fitting it with some of the best bike lights, upgrading to the best road bike mudguards or finding a pair of winter road bike tyres - will ease some of those gremlins in your mind.
You might also be here in search of gifts for someone else, rather than upgrading your own bike. We've already got plenty of advice to help, not least our roundup of Christmas gifts for cyclists.
Money-saving features
- How to buy a used bike - Tips and advice on finding the right bike and avoiding problems
- How to sell a used bike - Advice on getting the most buck for your bang
- Buy it for life cycling tech: Products with a reputation for lasting forever
- Cheap bike upgrades - Affordable ways to transform your bike
- E-bike upgrades and accessories - The best added-extras to improve your ride
- Gravel bike upgrades and accessories - Take your adventure to the next level
- Electric bike conversion kits - Why buy new when you can recycle your existing bike
- Get aero for less - Watt savings ranked by cost
- Maintenance essentials - Buy in advance and get them at a discount
Cycling buyer's guides
Upgrade your road bike
- Road bike mudguards - Keep you and your bike clean and dry
- Best road bike tyres - Wider for comfort or faster for racing
- Winter road bike tyres - Stay rubber side down when the roads get slippery
- Road bike wheels - New hoops that are both fast and light
- Road bike saddles - Comfort is king
- Best bar tape - Comfort is still king
Upgrade your gravel bike
- Gravel wheelsets - Sturdy wheels that are fast and light
- Gravel bar tape - Add comfort, colour and control to your bike for little cost
- Best gravel tyres - Tyre choice can truly transform your ride and won't cost the earth
- Gravel pedals - Keep the mud out and your feet clipped in
- Gravel handlebars - They're a different shape to road bars and they can help improve comfort and control
- Gravel saddles - Uncomfortable saddles can lead to injuries, keeping you off the bike
Accessories and more
- Best bike lights - You can't ride if you can't see where you're going
- Budget bike lights - Lights can be expensive, but these ones aren't
- Best bike computers - Real-time navigation, route planning and more
Clothing guides
- Winter cycling jackets - An overall guide to staying warm and dry
- Women's winter cycling jackets - Some women's specific options
- Winter bib tights - Full-length leg coverage for the coldest days
- Waterproof cycling jackets - For when it's pouring down but you still want to ride
- Winter cycling gloves - Warm ones, waterproof ones, and some that do both
- Winter cycling socks - Cold feet will have you heading for home in no time
- Winter cycling shoes - If socks cant keep your feet warm, these will
- Cycling base layers - The basis for every perfect cycling outfit
- Cycling jerseys - Some long sleeve options for the milder winter rides
- Leg warmers - Versatile coverage for your bottom half
- Arm warmers - Extend the seasonal range of your summer jerseys
