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I was just idly thinking about how I haven't had many "new" things in 2024, just tons of bargain consumables in the endless sales.
The one that springs to mind is probably the Five Ten Trailcross XT shoes - which I got cheap and wasn't expecting much from, but were unexpectedly "just right" for most of my summer (and dry autumn) riding and meant I hardly wore my Freerider Pros.
What's yours then?
im still amazed at how good sealskinz waterproof socks are. warm AND dry feet when the weather is cold and brutal.
High pivot suspension.
Probably not that new but a Tailfin top tube bag for me. I was initially reluctant to spend the money but after a succession of floppy bags that moved about constantly I bit on the bullet. Well worth it. Doesn't move. Holds enough stuff and is now a permanent fixture on my MTB.
7Mesh Glidepath Pants
They're a constant wonder, they're both warm and cool when it's appropriate, they fit well, move well, pocket placement is well designed. Despite their close-fitting appearance, I can get knee pads under them easily and comfortably. The only real issue is the ankle fit which is really quite tight. It's a pain putting them on or taking them off, but other than that, when these wear out, I'm buying another pair straight away.
GP5000s in a 30c width. Still getting over how impressive they are. And that's on narrow open pro rims rather than full fat carbon bling.
nickc
7Mesh Glidepath PantsThey’re a constant wonder, they’re both warm and cool when it’s appropriate, they fit well, move well, pocket placement is well designed. Despite their close-fitting appearance, I can get knee pads under them easily and comfortably. The only real issue is the ankle fit which is really quite tight. It’s a pain putting them on or taking them off, but other than that, when these wear out, I’m buying another pair straight away.
I can only agree, and I got mine for 60 euro in a sale, a"20% off sale prices" thing they did for a day or two.
Spatz
Stealth overshoes to be specific, really good
Big bars – in my case 80mm. Gives a very upright riding position which is a lot more intuitive when things get steep
TIL Dak Norton has an STW login 😉
Do share a pic of your bike mate.
Madison Flux DWR – waistband an inch higher and they’d be perfect)
Most of the Madison legwear I've had has been great apart from constantly feeling like it is slipping down at the back. Sadly I've given up buying it now.
(Addict shorts excepted)
Cold winter rides: Rab Vapourise Light for the win.
Julbo Renegade Zebra - cracking cycling and general wear glasses...
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I think the only new thing I've bought this year are TPU (Ridenow) innertubes for the road bike. So far they're as unexciting as you'd hope for innertubes. I've not bought much else.
Big bars – in my case 80mm. Gives a very upright riding position which is a lot more intuitive when things get steep
Not quite so high but I put Stooge Moto bars (50mm?) on my trail bike a few years ago and haven't looked back. I was half expecting to hate it and need to find a flippable stem etc as I really just wanted the sweep but they just make riding better.
I'm going with high bars as well, I'm running 70mm rise and I feel like they've been a revelation.
For me Schwalbe Marathons which I fitted to the commuter after endless faffing about with tubeless which couldn't seem to cope with the mix of urban debris and rural bridlepaths. Zero punctures since fitting them (and I can say that now that the last commute was finished last night). Roll acceptably well, reasonably comfortable, sketchy in the mud to an entertaining degree but utterly bomb-proof. Untrendy and nothing conceptually new about them but definitely my product of the year, closely followed by the Garmin RTL515 rear light and Exposure Strada front light.
Raaw Madonna V3 frame - I've always wanted a Raaw, but they were always a bit more money than i was happy to spend. Then earlier this year i threw caution to the wind and ordered one. Its ruddy amazing. Rides so well. Fills me with confidence. Isnt super long slack and low (compared to some), so actually fits me and is enjoyable to ride. I love it.
I've picked up a bunch of cool stuff this year.
Not really a cycling specific product but a Berghaus Corbeck wind jacket. It's great for stopping the chilly wind on your sweat when you stop, but almost unnoticeable when wearing because it's so thin and light. Really like it, dries mad quick too. Bit of DWR on the shoulders and chest too.
In a similar vein - 2 x Patagonia Cool Trail T-shirts (used as a MTB jersey). These are sensational...they feel like thin cotton rather than shiny tech fabric so are incredibly comfy. But they dry really quick, and are so light and nice to wear for biking, running etc. And cheap too for Patagucci stuff, got mine on sale from the outdoor shop in Ullapool for £30 each.
Madison Crypto glasses. Awesome big frames & clear lenses that I got cheaper than I would a second clear lens for my Oakley Sutros. Think was like £20 or something.
Specialized Tactic 4 MIPS helmet. I bought it as a spare just because it was £30 at the time, and I didn't want to suddenly be without a helmet should something happen to my POC Tectal for whatever reason. Handy to have in the shed sort of thing. But I actually like it way more - the dedicated glasses slot is great, and I love that the visor is held in one position only. It's also one of the highest rated helmets in terms of safety, and it looks modern and cool for that tekkers Pinkbike press-shot steez.
I suppose I could mark down my Trek Slash for this too as I got that this year, and it's a fantastic skills compensator that has allowed me to ride much harder than I did before on my too-small-for-me trail bike. I absolutely love it. Climbs nicely too.
Madison Crypto glasses.
Ooh yeah these are good, wish I could find where mine have gone though 🙁
Another vote for higher rise bars. 50mm here, found them really confidence inspiring.
Conty Argotal... was that this year?
If not the Specialized Recon 1.0 shoes bought in a sale for commuting. Just the most comfortable shoes I've had in years and no faff with buckles or boa rubbish, just old skool 3 velcro straps that work and hold them tight.
For me, EXT Storia v3 shock. No idea how it improved on an already well-riding bike, but it has. Worth every penny. Not a new product but new to me this year.
Linked to that, Geometron G1.
The Schwalbe Eddy Current tyres on the ebike have been amazing - I've always been a Magic Mary/Big Betty combo lover but found I was just eating through tyres on the ebike. The Eddys offer the same level of grip - dare I say even better in places - and have lasted longer, so it's a win win.
Not new, but new to me this year, my Pipedream Moxie Mx3 frame.
Assisted by the supporting cast of the rest of the parts I built it up with of course, particularly the Chiggle bargain Lyrik Ultimates with a custom tune by J-Tech which improved them way more than I ever expected (my second best purchase of 2024).
Now dialled in to my liking, it's a fantastic bike. Every time out it's just so much fun, oddly comfortable and extremely capable. I've managed to get both up and down things I've never managed on any other bike and generally makes me feel like a slightly better rider all round. I catch myself grinning at some point on every ride.
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Some handguards (Sendhit Nocks, but others would do).
After years of picking gorse out of my knuckles, and a couple of nasty finger infections this year, I love the protection they offer. Saved my fingers from a few tree strikes too.
These - as seen on FGF, a brilliantly simple idea, a ball valve that when open gives a completely clear tube for air and sealant, get the hybrid and your presta becomes a schrader so can be inflated with a compressor without an adaptor. An allen key socket in the base enables the valve to be properly tightened into the hole. Set my fat bike winter wheels up today first time must add that I’m new to tubeless, only the second set I’ve done so really pleased. Two criticisms, for thin fat bike rims the thread needs to extend further down and the valve “handle”, I can’t get my head around 90degrees, across the valve is open, inline is closed! This is opposite to any ball valves you may come across- gas pipes, inline open, stop cocks, inline open - I just know it’s going to lead me to getting in a mess at some point!! MucOff you can have my product improvement advice for free - I’m so impressed with something that actually fulfils its promise.
A br
Some Maxxis Rekon Race I got cheap(-ish) in a sale even though I had to ask LBS to order them in for me. They replaced some heavy 2.6 Minions on my hardtail and transformed how it rides. I was expecting them to be useless in winter but so far so good.
Oh and some cheap SLX brakes as well. First Shimano mtb brakes I've ever had and I love how grabby they are...
Rab Cinder Borealis Windproof Softshell Jacket
They do come up big though. I'm 5'11" about 12 1/2 stone and wear a small. Fits beautifully, not tight but also not baggy, with perfect body & arm length.
Fantastic bit of kit.
A few things I’ve thought “why didn’t I try these before” as they have been around for ages.
One up edc lite and a peatys tool wrap.
Magic Mary Radial on the front!!
Garbaruk long cage for sram 11 speed. Lets me keep my 11 speed set up on my gravel bike and run an 11-46 with a 40 chainring. I really didn't want to spend the money upgrading to 12 speed to get the range I wanted, and this was so much cheaper ( although expensive ! ), easy to install, works flawlessly and it's green!
Ortlieb QR bar and saddle bags.
Beautifully made, well designed and are truly quick release with no brackets left on the bike frame, so easily swapped between bikes or used for an impromptu tesco run.
https://www.ortlieb.com/uk_en/handlebar-pack-qr
https://www.ortlieb.com/uk_en/seat-pack-qr
Ordered some pedals that could potentially be proper game changers, but they won’t arrive till next year now.
and might be shit.
100% Brisker Xtreme gloves. Best winter gloves I've had in nearly 20 years of winter riding.
Struggling to think any other cycling thing I've bought this year besides a pair of Zwift Play controllers, which got a short test earlier despite being setup sideways on my hybrid's flat bar!
@tomhoward Pendulums? I am intrigued by them.
For me this year Sprindex spring & Trickstuff power pads.
Decided to go for a brake change, got some Hayes Dominion A4's. Why I waited so long is beyond me.
I have nothing new of any significance! I do have a Hope hub and DT Swiss rim waiting to be turned into a rim to mullet my Levo but who knows if that’ll be good or bad or somewhere in between?
When I do get to get out on a proper ride (OMFG work has been so intense and stressful this year and as it’s my business I can’t just get another job - and I do like it otherwise!) I’m loving my Moxie singlespeed. I think I’m riding as well (or better) than/as I ever have, which is nice.
Formula Selva R.
They really should be free on the NHS, and the HSE should ban the RockShox Pike and Fox 36.
Decided to go for a brake change, got some Hayes Dominion A4’s. Why I waited so long is beyond me.
You are one step behind me on the path, now get the fork.
I've had loads of of the wiggle / CRC fire sale earlier in the year. A few that spring to mind that were the best of those purchasst are:
Aeroe spider dry bag rack. Rock solid and capacious.
Fox X2 shock and 38 factory fork way better than rockshox IMO
Gx axs t type
Hayes dominion A4 brakes
Giro helmet with removeable chin bar..used it loads more than I thought and great for more protection than a trail helmet.
5:10 trail cross + nukeproof flat pedals - jumping and confidence on flats generally has come on loads because of that combo
Dhb windproof running top. £5 and barely leaves my bag 'cus it's so small..I use it loads to provide a bit of an extra shell. Although not that exciting, I think this is the stand out material purchase of the year because it's so versatile and bargainous
Leatt trail shorts..light and airy, dry quick, look good, seems robust
Leatt ultralight knee pads for trail riding
Raceface indy (Enduro) knee pads for more protection.
Trips away
Bike park Wales - 2 days - fantastic..why have I not been before
Pyrenees adventure with basque MTB. The most relentless ' holiday' I've ever had. 100% brilliant start to finish and overall fantastic value for the quality of organisation and both quality and volume of riding
The fuel cost to drive to dalby off piste, and time invested finding the good trails, was worth every penny/minute when everywhere else was awful slop for months in the spring.
Non bike stuff...
Trip to Montenegro with the family. A great country, had a fantastic time doing loads of different things
2x decent sleeping bags. Western mountaineering mega light and sea to summit spark sp1. Has me covered for all bases except REALLY cold and much better than previous mid priced stuff that was neither warm nor light.
Fjern gokotta 2 tent. V. Light. Great for comfortable camping for 1 even though it's just about ultralight.
Oex heiro stove. great for 1 when you just want some hot water quick. Small enough, fast enough and light enough. Very efficient.
Other random trips away in bothies, tents and bivvies. They've all been great but the best one was with my eldest where we did a 3 dayer of about 50% of the dales divide
Maybe it was '24 when I bought a Lezyne Super Pro GPS in the CRC fire sale for £26, replacing the Mega XL I must have dropped just before getting off the train at Warminster in September '22, just as my long covid was starting.
Rab Cinder Vapour Rise has been my fave purchase this year - seems to manage a wide range of temperatures with a tweak to base layers, wicks well, great fit, does ok in showers or light rain, really cosy with a waterproof over the top of the weather turns, and it’s packable enough for a spare layer ?
Rockshox Vivid Coil with HBO for me. I’ve run a Float X, X2 factory and a Cane Creek Kitsuma coil on my Sentinel and the Vivid is by far and away the best shock for it.
I can run a 50lb lighter spring than the Kitsuma, so it’s more plush over small bump, yet it avoids harsh bottom out. I haven’t had it professionally tuned or anything - so I’m not sure if it’s got a heavier hsc tune or if it’s purely the hbo doing the hard work.
Has been quite a boring year for purchases this year, LOTS of different saddles, none of which has really been a game changer although the cheap carbon railed Fizik Aliante R1 I found is a lovely thing, shame it went on the winter bike! 😆
Schwalbe studded winter tyres actually might be the most exciting thing I bought, allowed me to get out for some pretty magical frosty morning rides that would have been spent on the turbo otherwise, that's worth £70 on my book!
Also a Komoot premium subscription, really enjoying the 'Collections' feature which gives me somewhere to write up routes and add photos etc. with a view to sharing at some point.
Two things. First was the SQ Lab 614 gravel saddle, basically their 612 road saddle shape with the padding from the mountain bike. Brilliantly comfortable for me, takes all the pressure off the central area, have that 'Active' elastomer thing going on so the rear of the saddle flexes, which seem - for me at least - to make it easier on the lower back. Just genius, also have SQ Lab saddles on my mountain bikes.
Second, just reminded by the ST Editor's Choice stuff of the year article, was the Vittoria Air Liner Tool MTB. I don't usually have issues with tyre removal, but the WTB Scraper rims on my hardtail have a tendency to basically weld themselves to whatever tyre is fitted. Absolutely nightmarish to break the bead/rim seal, even with standing on the bead etc.
The Vittoria tool got a bastard, stuck 2.8 Rekon off in a matter of minutes. I wouldn't use it for anything else, but for really, really stubborn ' might have to cut this off - tyres, the thing is absolutely brilliant.
Two purchases stand out for me. Firstly a pair of Five Ten Sam Hill Impact shoes I got for about £35 from Evans. I did seriously wonder what the hell I was doing at first as they are bulky but my god they have been the most comfy pair of shoes that I have ever worn while cycling. Ended up using them daily.
Schwalbe Super Moto tyres from banana industries for about £14 each. They look like motorbike tyres and allow you to really lean your bike into corners. Makes you feel like Rossi on your commutes.
the cheap carbon railed Fizik Aliante R1 I found is a lovely thing, shame it went on the winter bike!
Mine too! Used for £30 off a long-suffering club mate. Can't use it on my titanium seat post on the Enigma due to the ovoid shape of the rails
Fox union boa flat pedal
Best shoe I've ever had:
Comfort
double boa allows dialling in (pun, haha) your fit/tightness perfectly. tongue doesn't slip around like my previous shoes
fit overall is I guess subjective, but if you get on with most other skate style mtb shoes, these are equally good if not better.
Performance
Never slipped a pedal, so they are grippy enough, they are notably stiff underfoot for power transfer and thus all day usability which for me (trail rider) is far more desirable than a floppy uber soft sole for maximum grip like a DHer or BMXer might prefer
Durability
Worn for every ride since I got them early spring, no marks to the sole so already can determine they are far more durable than 5:10s where I'd just about eke them out for a year.
UK friendlyness
boa closure rather than laces, and a water resistant upper means they are practically unaffected by mud in use and you dont have to unpick muddy laces with frozen fingers.
water resistant means if they are really filthy I might give them a quick blast with the hose while doing the bike. at this point my socks are wet and about to be removed anyway.
worn in just-above-freezing temperatures this winter (and some 30+ temps this summer) and comfortable in both.
Endura MT500 Spray trousers that I bought last winter. Water resistant, some breathability and a good vent setup. Fit is spot on for me, they don't sag at the back or crotch and there's room for pads inside as well as having a close fit above shoes, keeping some dirt and water out.
But the key thing is the really wide range of conditions that they're appropriate for; everything from a cold, frosty Highland morning to heavy rain on a windy local hilltop last night at 6-7C. Alpine pass at 3000m in September; dusting of snow and a biting breeze? Absolutely fine. Love them; bought a second pair.
Fox X2 shock and 38 factory fork way better than rockshox IMO
Come back after the X2 has dropped it's guts a few times.
I've also got the Fox Union shoes and they're a favourite but not the boa version. Currently very reduced on Sports Pursuit but only in small and large sizes.
Also went from an Ohlins 36 to a 38 and they're both the best air forks I've ever used. They make my Lyrik ultimate feel crap in comparison.
The only thing I bought this year that wasn't a like for like replacement part was a Hope dropper lever. X3 more than I've ever spent on such a thing but lovely to use and vastly better than the BrandX one it replaced.
Right, I've remembered my other noteworthy product of the year - the TruTune magic air volume widget I got for my 180mm RS Zeb fork.
The fork had been OK before, but very reluctant to get into the far reaches of its travel and also a little stiff off the top.
I was genuinely surprised how much better it was with the TruTune cartridge. Tracks the ground much more smoothly, feels more linear and uses it's travel more freely while also feeling more predictable and supportive overall.
It cost me £70-odd and that might seem steep for a glorified fork token, but compared to the £300 coil conversion I was eyeing it's a (much lighter) bargain.
So that's my product of the year, actually.
SRAM Pro Piston Press tool. It has become my go to tool for ensuring pistons are fully retracted prior to any adjustments/routine maintenance and allows me to eliminate squeal caused by poorly aligned callipers/irregular piston advancement.
That and Continental GP5000S tyres. They’re amazingly good. Easy to mount and setup tubeless, fast, grippy and comfortable. They could do with lasting a bit longer but meh…
assuming that’s the outlier pedals what’s the total landed cost looking like? I reckon on about £230?
I’ve also ordered a pair of the Pendulum pedals but they’re not for me!
My best purchase has been J-Tech custom tuning for the suspension on my eeb and on the DH bike (Ohlins coils on both, RXF38s on eeb and DH38s on DH bike). The Ohlins default shim stack is far too heavy for me (I’m 52kg) and having the suspension tuned has completely transformed it — uber poppy but also supportive and calm where it needs to be.
The second best purchase would be a DT Swiss 240 rear hub to replace the rubbish Hope Pro 5 hub (candidate for worst purchase of the year) that I spent 9 months fighting with. I know a lot of people really like Hope so I’m assuming the hub I had was just a lemon!
assuming that’s the outlier pedals what’s the total landed cost looking like?
£190 plus whatever HMRC slap on. Will be a while before they arrive though so no idea on any extras
The last cycling related item I bought was the Endura Gv500 insulated jacket, great for mechanical issues, coffee stops, view stops etc. A bit to warm to actually ride in, but it packs up so small.
In the ongoing spirit of things you forgot to include in your first post, I also bought one of the Tailfin top-tube bags for my Camino and it's brilliant. Straps are incredibly secure and stable, bag is really nicely made - the flip-top one - and contoured so it doesn't interfere with pedalling. Ideal for a phone and a few snacks. Surprisingly water-tight too. Just really good kit.
@highlandman - do they fit to size? I'm normally a "M" in Endura - tops/shorts and Leisure Lakes have some on offer. I really rate my three year old and still going strong Troy Lee Skyline troons. So much so I bought the waterproof version and it's a rubbish fit for me- too wide at the waist and a bit baggy everywhere else, so in the market for a pair that I can use through the winter...
The second best purchase would be a DT Swiss 240 rear hub to replace the rubbish Hope Pro 5 hub (candidate for worst purchase of the year) that I spent 9 months fighting with
How can you spend 9 months fighting with a hub that has about 10 parts in it? It either works or it doesn't and if it doesn't they'll replace it.
I've been riding them all year, no issues.
Apart from some big upgrades like a 38 & AXS, the best has been Funn Fast Air valves.
No more blocked or broken Presta valve cores.
Santa Cruz Stigmata gravel bikes (pair of, for my wife and I). Wow, who knew gravel bikes had come so far?
To be fair we didn't buy a lot else bike-related last year and her dad had just popped his clogs so she deserved a bit of cheering up (plus, is coming into enough money to pay for them, though that's a long and tedious process...).
I've changed my mind: my Polaris merino and synthetic 'flip' top is all the shizzles and has been worn loads on hill and rides this year.
Not cycling specific but the Darn Tough socks I got are the best socks ever. And I've had a lot of socks!
How can you spend 9 months fighting with a hub that has about 10 parts in it? It either works or it doesn’t and if it doesn’t they’ll replace it.
I’ve been riding them all year, no issues.
Because it took 8 months to diagnose that the hub was the root of the (admittedly bizarre) issue the bike was having 🙂 and then another month of trying everything to fix it before I lost patience and bought the DT 🙂 . The very (very very) short story is that I ride an ebike with a rotor magnet, and the Hope hub + rotor magnet causes a massive throw in the rotor that is so big the caliper can’t be adjusted to stop it rubbing.
Really happy yours have worked so well though! 🙂 I would say maybe mine is a lemon but a friend got a Hope wheel at the same time as I had mine and has exactly the same problem, though it’s not as extreme as the one I had as his eeb uses a different rotor magnet position.
Specialized Crux, though still not sure on the colour scheme. And the 12 speed cable GRX just works faultlessly.