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Some of you may be back at work, some of you may wish you were and some of you may not celebrate Christmas at all.
Whatever your situation, at BikeRadar we have a late tech treat for you, like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange belatedly discovered at the bottom of your stocking.
To tide you over until the New Year’s Eve celebrations, here is the last First Look Friday of 2023.
But first, let’s recap what we’ve published over the festive period.
Our Gear of The Year series continued, with shredditor-in-chief Rob Weaver, high-mileage heroine Robyn Furtado, the face of Cycling YouTube Liam Cahill and that Jack Luke taking their turn.
If fitness or lack of it is on your mind, check our guides to polarised cycling training (clue: it’s not cycling at the Poles) and testosterone for cyclists (not written by a disgraced American).
Fuelled by panettone, we reviewed the Ragley Big Wig MTB frame, Exposure Boost DayBright / Boost-R ReAKT light set and Pinnacle Radium Road Cycling Shoes.
If you were gifted some book vouchers for Christmas, why not spend them on something from our list of the best cycling books?
Unless you’ve got a shiny red nose, you can then head to our round-up of the best bike lights and best mountain bike lights to find something to illuminate the road or trails this Christmas.
Now it’s time to pull the wrapping paper off the last few bits of gear to drop down the BikeRadar chimney in 2023.
Whoop 4.0 Band
When I reviewed the Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar, I praised its sleep and health-tracking potential but I wasn’t keen on its size or conspicuity.
Enter the Whoop 4.0 Band. The fitness tracker focuses on recovery, making sure you’re well rested so you can perform optimally the next time you exercise.
Unlike smartwatches, which track your fitness, the Whoop 4.0 Band has no screen, with the tracking device held discreetly underneath a fabric band.
An accompanying app provides you with data on sleep performance, recovery and how much strain your body can withstand on a given day.
Whoop takes myriad factors into account, including heart-rate variability, sleep, temperature and your menstrual cycle.
The app provides so much insight it can become quite a preoccupation. The recent addition of an AI coach powered by ChatGPT (which once declared “Great question, Stan!”) can make the whole thing even more consuming.
It may not come as much of a surprise that a device such as this has a large celebrity backing. LeBron James was an early adopter and the likes of NBA star Kevin Durant are investors in the company, which was valued at $1.2 billion in 2020.
It was also in the news as one of the devices that could provide researchers with data to track the impact of Covid-19.
- £30 / $30 / AU$44 per month on a rolling basis
- £24 / $24 / AU$32 per month for an annual membership
Look Indoor Dual pedals
The Look Dual pedals are for indoor training, with one side accepting three-bolt cleats and the other two-bolt cleats.
The pedals are aimed at multi-cyclist households, so different cyclists can take to the same exercise bike without having to change a pedal.
The option for different cleat and shoe choices means you can have more flexibility, switching between your road shoes and mountain bike shoes.
Look says the Indoor Dual pedals have a “rugged” design and are more durable than “standard indoor bike pedals”.
The pedals have the same cleat adjustment you’ll find on Look’s road pedals or mountain bike pedals, so you can adapt the tension and how firm the foot support feels.
With an eye on practicality, Look has engraved the pedals with R and L, so you can determine which side of the bike to install each pedal.
The pedals come with two-bolt and three-bolt cleats included.
- £99.90 / $100 / €99.90
Outdoor Research Deviator hoodie
The Outdoor Research Deviator hoodie isn’t cycling-specific, but it’s a versatile jacket our video manager Felix Smith has found useful.
Its casual styling makes it great for touring and bikepacking, where you’ll likely spend a lot of time off the bike. Felix envisages it being great for covering up sweaty Lycra he’s spent a day wearing, just don’t get too close to him.
The insulated hood provides a touch more protection than some lightweight cycling jackets, which is a real bonus for adventure rides, when temperatures can drop much lower at night.
The insulation feels snug and the outer fabric is soft yet still feels protective against weather.
The quality materials, finish and – of course – the price might make you think twice before getting it covered in mud on a winter mountain bike ride. But given its claimed performance for high-aerobic activities, it should handle the adventures you throw at it.
- $229
Chris King Thru Axle
King Thru Axles are a collaboration between Chris King and the Robert Axle Project.
The Robert Axle Project specialises in thru-axles and is a neighbour of Chris King in Oregon, USA.
The King Thru Axles are said to be lightweight and machined to tight standards. Chris King emphasises they are made in the USA.
Chris King has three anodised colours available to match its other components, such as hubs and headsets, to bring “the perfect pop of refined detail” to your bike.
Unfortunately, my Chris King hubs are plain old black, so I opted against the more colourful matt turquoise or violent colour choices.
A nice detail is the end cap of the axles resembles the stem cap shape of Chris King’s headsets.
The axles are available for front or rear wheels across road, cyclocross, gravel, electric and mountain bikes.
The Robert Axle Project’s Fit Finder will help you find the right size axle for your bike.
- $65
Maxxis Reaver gravel tyres
Launched in September, the Maxxis Reaver gravel tyre is said to be fast-rolling with a low-profile tread and lightweight construction.
Maxxis says the tyre’s tread has a diamond knurling to reduce rolling resistance while enhancing grip in dusty or loose conditions.
Central knobs are grouped in threes to provide ‘bite’ under braking. The side knobs are spaced closely and staggered to aid cornering.
The siping, or small grooves, in the side knobs, is said to help them conform to terrain for improved traction.
The tyre has a 120 TPI, tubeless-ready casing and Maxxis’ EXO Sidewall protection. It is available in two widths: 700x40mm and 700x45mm.
The Maxxis Rambler is said to be more versatile and better suited to deeper gravel, but Maxxis says the Reaver should be your choice if your aim is off-road speed. The brand also says the tyre is suited to dirt roads and tarmac.
- £56.90 / $70