Bicycling’s Gear of the Year 2024

It’s a little pricey but this Merino wool sports bra is super comfortable, even for long days in the saddle. Bras fit differently on different bodies but we did not experience bunching and it has a good balance of stretch and compression.

Made in the San Francisco Bay area, the Mission Pants are designed for commuters but are great for everyday use. Ornot offers these pants in several colors and two inseam lengths. Check the sizing; they run slightly large but are great for cycling thighs.

Some days are too chilly for shorts or bibs but not cold enough for most tights. Ornot’s lightweight bibs are perfect for the rides you typically wear leg warmers but know you won’t remove them. The fit is dialed and they use a droptail design for rest stops.

You’d be surprised how many brands whiff on the seemingly simple tech-tee. OR shows how to do it right. This piece is comfortable and has a flawless fit. The material breathes, dries super well, and doesn’t get stinky four hours into a hard ride.

Much like OR’s jersey, the brand’s shorts are simply dialed. The fit, comfort, and performance are all benchmark-setting. The Freewheel shorts are on the heavier-duty end, so they’re not as light as some baggy options but are very durable.

Whether riding in the city or bikepacking to a remote destination, the Endure jacket keeps you bone dry and out of the foul weather. It features windproof and waterproof Gore-Tex technology with reflective details throughout. Stylish and packable, the jacket’s hood fits over most helmets.

Ornot creates no-fuss cycling apparel without big flashy logos. We love this jersey because of Ornot’s choice of yarn and knit structure; it provides enough warmth and breathability for a wide range of temps. It’s also available in a long sleeve version.

This pull-over hooded jersey is perfect for commutes, mountain biking, or gravel rides. It is constructed from recycled fabric with UPF 30 sun protection that breathes well and is baggy enough for good airflow (but it isn’t bulky).

The Pro Air bibs are a go-to for hot summer days. They have minimal low-profile seams and offer a compressive fit without feeling thick and restrictive. It’s the kind of kit you put on and never think about, and that’s a big win for any bib shorts.

You can use whatever socks you have, however, cycling-specific socks are best for fit and comfort in cycling shoes. Swiftwick’s Aspire socks are a great pick. They have good compression and don’t bunch. Plus the white socks stayed white through many wash cycles.

Lightweight, breathable, great fit—all are things to look for in a high-end road shoe. The dual BOA-style closures provide great foot security, without any hotspots. The carbon sole is stiff enough for the hardest efforts but comfortable enough to wear on anything from coffee rides to centuries.

The Disruptr is the first consumer helmet to use the HighBar system, a design that improves safety with a strap that reduces incorrect helmet use by riders. The helmet also has impressive benefits beyond fit by reducing wind noise and improving cooling.

The Transit is an elevated version of the commuter shoe concept. Its understated looks make it feel right in most off-the-bike situations. On the bike, it works well with flat pedals or when clipped in. And unlike many similar commuter shoes, CHPT3s are comfortable walking longer distances.

If you want the power transfer of a road shoe but need comfort over long off-road slogs, the XC-903 is a great choice. Its soft rubber lugs grip well and bite into various surfaces—making them a great choice for XC racing and cyclocross.

KOO is a great alternative to many other popular brands—it offers a wide range of shapes, with premium materials and replaceable lenses. The Demos are one of our favorites. These shades provide sun protection to the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe pro team.

New to Smith’s line, the Motives are a great addition to your kit. With a feathery-light design paired with incredibly comfortable arms, the lenses’ chroma-pop technology helps you pick up surface changes when visibility varies.

These glasses are light, comfortable, and secure. They also have excellent protection and optics. The temples play well with various helmets and tuck neatly into the vents of every helmet we tried. Plus, 100 Percent offers several lens tints, so your vision is always dialed.

They look great, fit well, are comfortable, and though they lack a carbon sole, they’re stiff enough for vigorous rides and racing. And while you can’t tighten a laced shoe on the fly, these fit so well you shouldn’t need any adjustments.

Solestar’s $159 BLK insoles are exceptional. This version, via a partnership with Ergon, is much less expensive and offers nearly the same support, stability, and comfort as the BLK. As a bonus, Ergon’s version has a very low profile, so they fit easier in low-volume shoes.

The price is absurd, but these are superb cycling shoes in all the essential ways. The knit upper offers a sock-like fit that’s equally supportive and forgiving, and they breathe great. The sole is stiff but offers some compliance, so your feet are not tired after long rides.

Perfect for trail, road, or gravel riding, the Techniums were an unexpected find. These sunglasses from Shimano offer all the performance—fit, security, optics—we’ve experienced from Oakley, Smith, 100 Percent, and other high-end eyewear brands but at half, or better, the price.

Several years since entering the category, Smith has proven it knows how to make an excellent cycling helmet. The Payroll is attractive and comfortable, with decent ventilation and a functional visor. This version features the Aleck crash sensor, which notifies contacts when it senses a significant impact.

The new second-generation Wavecel helmets are far lighter and better ventilated than first-gen versions. The Blaze is also notable because it offers quick-release ear cups for additional protection. With or without the cups, I found it a comfortable and great-fitting helmet.

The updated Recon 2.0 is a great mid-priced clipless pedal shoe for gravel and mountain biking. The 2.0 features a single BOA dial for on-the-fly adjustment and a TPU toecap for protection against rock strikes. They also have flexibility and grip for hike-a-bike sections.

An aero helmet for every day, the Propero 4 combines elements of the S-Works Evade 3’s aerodynamics and the ventilation of the Prevail 3. We found it doesn’t feel bulky on your head and is suitable for all but the muggiest summer rides.

Prescription lenses aren’t cheap, so Tifosi’s $99 prescription glasses (with clear lenses) are a relative steal. Fit on the Swank XLs is great, the optical quality is very good, and they stay in place when riding. We put some small scratches on them from mountain biking but nothing that affects vision.

Prescription cycling sunglasses can be tricky; they can feel fishbowly or don’t offer enough coverage. Julbo takes time to ensure its RX lenses are as precise, asking buyers for more detailed measurements like mono pupillary distance instead of a simple PD.

The S-Works Torch are great road shoes but are rather pricey. The Torch 3.0s feel and perform almost identical but cost $200 less. The carbon sole is stiff and double BOA dials allow for quick and precise adjustment. They‘re an excellent mid-priced choice with pro-level looks and performance.

The single BOA dial RC903PWR shoe is about as major as a redesign gets for Shimano. The dual-BOA RC903 continues as the brand‘s top-of-the-line model with the PWR version for riders seeking a tighter, more evenly secured feel along the whole foot.

If you need a pedal-based power meter for a mountain or gravel bike, Favero’s Pro MX-2 is your best option. They are solidly accurate and built to last. The Pro MX-2s transmit the same data as the much pricier Garmin Rally and SRS X-Powers without the hefty price tag.

When we first picked up the Cadex Race handlebar, we thought someone was pranking us. At 160 grams for a 42cm bar, it is absurdly light. Throw in improvements in comfort from swapping from aluminum to carbon and this bar becomes one of the ultimate cockpit upgrades.

It’s heavy and expensive, but CC’s Tigon effectively combines the sensitivity of a coil spring shock with the adjustable progression of an air-sprung shock into one unit. If you like to tinker and tune your suspension, it’s a dream product.

Traditional suspension posts tend to be heavy and complicated. Ergon’s CF Allroad Pro Carbon seatpost is slightly heavier than a conventional round seatpost but adds impressive compliance using its leaf spring design. It is a perfect addition to gravel or all-road bikes that see some rough terrain.

Although it doesn’t look dramatically different from other saddles, the Allroad Core offers a notably smooth ride and superb pressure distribution. Ergon chalks it up to a layer of E-TPU foam–the same stuff used in high-performance running shoes.

Saddles are the most personal part of your bike. However, very few companies offer custom seats. Fizik’s One-to-One is the most promising we’ve seen. Fizik uses gebioMized pressure mapping data to 3D-print a saddle for your body and riding position.

The Shift offers that same buttery ride feel and recyclable materials we loved about the original Forge + Bond wheels but at a much more palatable price. The Bitex hubs are simple, but I was never left wanting more on the trail.

A long time coming, Fox’s Neo wireless electronic dropper post is finally here, and it is great. The remote is low profile with excellent feel and ergonomics, while the post is instantly reactive and offers smooth and low friction action.

This cassette offers the weight of SRAM’s top-of-the-line XX1 Eagle cassette but is priced just a touch higher than SRAM’s third-tier GX cassette. Plus, Garbaruk‘s 10-52T offers a smoother 37-44-52T progression on the low end of the cassette than SRAM’s 36-42-52T jumps.

Bike jewelry doesn’t get much more stunning than Ogle’s machined titanium stem. Made in Durango, Colorado, this 30.5mm stem for 31.8mm bars weighs just 96 grams and has proven ridiculously strong in third-party lab testing.

Gravel tires are always a compromise, but the new X1 simplifies things. The knobby pattern is surefooted on dirt, with excellent drive, cornering, and braking traction. But the real surprise is how fast and smooth this tire is on pavement.

Until recently, your options for wide, high-performance road slicks were extremely limited. That’s finally changing, and these Italian-made 35mm and 40mm wide tires from Pirelli are real gems. They are very fast, wonderfully smooth, and offer traction for days.

Lightweight wheels feel great (even if slower than aero wheels). Unfortunately, light wheels often have rider weight restrictions and limited warranties. Reserve’s updated 34|37 TAs are proven in the Pro Tour. Plus they have no weight limit and the best warranty and replacement programs for wheelsets.

At 1,750g, the Classic Zeta Discs aren‘t super impressive on paper. But they shine when set up with supple tubeless tires and installed on almost any road bike. Their good looks, smooth ride, quality build, and affordable price make them stand out in a sea of carbon wheels.

The Charger 3 was a good damper, but the 3.1 is noticeably better. It has less friction and a wider damping range. RockShox offers kits to upgrade an existing 3.0 damper and a drop-in 3.1 cartridge; so enjoy the performance updates in your existing fork.

First debuted in 2021 for longer-travel bikes and relaunched for cross country models in 2024, Flight Attendant collects information and decides the best fork and shock modes while on the trail. It does it every five milliseconds while you ride and feels almost seamless.

This saddle offers the San Marco Regal’s classic styling—right down to the rivets. But it also has a cutout shell for pressure relief, a shorter length, and two width options. It’s a perfect way to add new school comfort to a bike with retro vibes.

These wheels blend aerodynamics and stability. Specialized achieves this using front/rear-specific rim profiles. The front is 51mm (tall) x 35mm (wide) for crosswind stability. And the rear is 60mm x 30.7mm to prioritize aerodynamics. Our pair weighed in at a reasonable 1,571 grams.

These wheels are as close to magic as any I’ve ridden. They feel robust but have an almost otherworldly suppleness that lets them mold to the terrain and find extra traction–but they don‘t feel vague. In addition, they’re extremely good at warding off flats.

The Phenom Mirror offers 3D-printed tech with a slightly longer nose and is more off-road friendly than many other 3D saddles. The Phenom found a home on my XC bike, but its also great for gravel or even some road bikes.

If you crave braking power, get SRAM’s Maven brakes. They’re a little heavy, but the power is shocking and easily controllable on the trail, with little fade. In fact, as they heat up, they perform even better.

SRAM’s reboot of Red AXS was the biggest component story of 2024. Red’s performance is superb—it rivals Dura-Ace as the top-tier electronic shifting. Among the strong points are the lever shape and excellent braking performance. Also new for Red is an excellent 13-speed XLPR gravel 1x option.

Trek claims the new Aeolus RSL TLR has significant rolling resistance and aerodynamics improvements over its previous R3 TLR tires—but the standout feature is an increased tread cap width. This allows the Aeolus tires to pair with the profile of modern road rims.

Some brands offer burly, almost bombproof liners to avoid flats, but they are heavy and hard to fit. Tubolight’s inserts are lighter-duty, more XC-friendly, and weight-conscious. They’re simple to install and remove almost as quickly as pulling out a tube. Plus, they only add 59g per wheel.

The low tire pressures enabled by tubeless setups increase the risk of tire damage and bottoming out rims on rougher roads. Vittoria’s lightweight, high-density polymer Air-Liners (fits road tires up to 32mm—gravel and mountain sizes also offered) add run-flat support while protecting rims from damage.

Vittoria released XC race versions of the Mezcal and Peyote with improved compounds, lighter weights, and a brown sidewall. The compound offers solid grip, more than other similarly treaded XC tires. We prefer dual Mezcals for loose conditions and swap to a Peyote rear for faster dry trails.

We were initially skeptical of Wheeltop’s EDS groupset—it does have some quirks. But the group’s shift performance is quite good. Its price and functionality—programable for 3 to 14 rear cogs—make it a good choice for many riders. Plus, Wheeltop offers a rim brake version.

In a world of proprietary, single-use master links, the Connex link offers universal 12-speed compatibility, tool-free use, and no limits on re-use. This makes it ideal for fans of immersion waxing. The link’s universal fit also makes it a great addition to an emergency repair kit.

Emma at Wzrd produces these super simple—yet incredibly useful—bar bag supports at her shop on Vancouver Island, BC. The support keeps burrito-style bags from interfering with cables or rubbing paint off your headtube. The painted alloy accessory is 3mm thick and weighs only 30g.

Abbey makes high-end tools at a price that is sometimes hard to justify. But HAG’s cost is well worth it. The HAG is the most precise and effective tool we’ve used to align hangers—which is important for 12- and 13-speed drivetrains.

Silca’s StripChip simplifies the tedious process of cleaning and waxing chains. It allows users to drop a brand-new chain into a pot of molten wax without needing to degrease it beforehand. This removes a barrier many riders face and helps more folks embrace chain wax.

Silca’s Chain Waxing System offers precise temperature control from 75-125ºC in 5º increments—the exact spread required by various Silca wax products. The system also has a drip stand to cool freshly waxed chains and a wire holder to keep the chain tidy while treating it.

Park’s Utility Pick set is essential in our workshop’s toolbox. With three different-shaped ends and a magnet to grab cables or dropped bearings or bolts, these picks are a lifesaver for so many everyday bike repairs and routine maintenance.

Designed for pro mechanics and at-home DIYers, this tool helps open battery doors and apply a firm connection between cables and ports on electronic drivetrains. Sometimes it’s the small niche tools that make jobs easier.

This bleed kit is a tool every home mechanic should have if they own a bike with Shimano disc brakes. It is compatible with many systems and includes the necessary cups, brake blocks, and hoses to keep those stoppers feeling fresh.

For bikes without internal storage or a cargo mount, this wrap offers a durable and waterproof pouch and a honkin’ strap to securely anchor a handful of tools almost anywhere on your bike. If you want a complete repair kit, the strap can secure a tube and the tool wrap.

The S.O.S. BC18 is a clever way to carry water and a complete repair kit. The reversible side load bottle cage features an integrated tire lever and tubeless plugger, while the side pods carry a multi-tool with a CO2 adapter and a cartridge or a mini pump.

This little air compressor is one of our best purchases ever. It is a bit noisy but shockingly powerful, fills many tires on one charge, and the gauge is accurate. It’s easy to throw in your bag for drives to the trailhead and absolutely brilliant when you travel with your bike.

If you’ve ever damaged or bent your lightweight, tubeless valve or cores you will appreciate this inflator head. It slides on and off without effort and securely seals on the valve for quick inflation and accurate gauge readings.

Smart devices keep getting smaller, lighter, and blending into life. RingConn’s Gen 2 Smart Ring looks and feels like a normal metal ring, but inside are sensors tracking heart rate, HRV, sleep, stress, activity, and even sleep apnea monitoring. Plus it has a 12-day battery life and no subscription fees.

Trek’s Carback radar tail light improves on the Garmin Varia, with USB-C charging and easy-to-read battery life indicators. The radar detection function is practically identical to the Varia, so the Carback is an easy choice for riders with other Blendr accessories.

The one watch to rule them all, the Enduro 2 has impressive battery life, solar charging, and sport-specific activity tracking. It’s a great device for cyclists who also run, hike, or adventure. We only charge this watch once a month, which is a great plus.

Worn on your upper arm, Coros’ heart rate monitor is super low profile, secure, and very comfortable. The battery life is perfect (almost 40 hours) and the device charges very quickly—using it is dead simple.

At first, we thought this thing was silly. Then, we used it, and it brought us immense joy. The two programmable warning tones (one friendly, one stern) are loud and clear. Plus the Bell Beats doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, so you can play tunes while riding.

Core’s small sensor attaches to a heart rate monitor strap and provides real-time data on your body temperature. Use it to monitor your temp, then adjust pace or fueling, on hot summer rides or optimize your performance with heat acclimation training.

The latest Karoo is more an iteration than a full revamp, but the changes (a dedicated power button, better screen, and longer battery life) improve the functionality and experience. Additionally, as SRAM owns Hammerhead, the Karoo blends seamlessly with SRAM AXS drivetrains and power meters.

If three or more athletes in your household, team, or friend group use Strava, this annual plan can save you some cash. Share it with up to four people and get access to Strava’s premium features including route planning and leaderboards.

The Trackr is Wahoo’s latest heart rate monitor. It boasts up to 100 hours of run time (I charged it once in 3 months of riding) and carries an IPX7 rating so it’s safe from sweat and rain. The only downside: it lacks onboard memory, which means you must use a head unit or watch to record data.

If you want a dedicated indoor bike but are scared off by the prices—or tired of swapping your bike on and off the trainer—Zwift’s Ride is your best solution. It integrates seamlessly with Zwift and integrates the brand’s Play controllers and virtual shifting.

The Go3 S should be on your list if you need a simple action camera. The tiny camera pod mounts almost anywhere to capture 4k footage of your local trails. A favorite feature is the visor clip—it easily detaches from your helmet peak so you’re not wearing a big GoPro on your head.