I’m sure many of you model your very cycling existence upon my riding exploits. If that’s the case, you’ll want to know what kit and caboodle I use, and recommend, on t’ bike.
(Note: there are affiliate links on this page. If you click on them and buy something, I get a commission. You pay the same price)
Road Bike: Trek Domane
I am a massive fan of this bike. You can read my review here.
You would do well to buy this exact same bike (it being 7 years old and all). For completeness, it is a 2013 Trek Domane 4.3 with full Shimano 105 groupset (albeit 10-speed 5700)
But Trek still sells the Domane. It is there main endurance bike. To my mind it looks to have got better and better.
You can see the full range of Domane bikes on the Trek website (see the link in the box below). The Domane SL4 is probably the closest to mine in terms of spec (updated for 2020).
Bike GPS Computer: Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt
I was introduced to the world of bike GPSs by a Garmin Edge 510, which I got from my (wonderful) wife for my birthday.
When I upgraded to a newer model (the GPS, not the wife), I ended up buying two (you know, to compare for this ol’ blog thingy). Those were the
I wrote this comparison post, which you’re welcome to read. I’ll save you the bother – I prefer the
And where the Edge 520 has been superseded by the 530, Wahoo has kept updating the software on the Bolt, so it remains current and very good indeed.
Anyhoo, I heartily recommend the
My favourite mid-range bike computer. The V2 upgrade brings a bright colour display and full on-board navigation. The BOLT remains very easy to set up and use.
Pedals: Speedplay Zero Stainless
I think these pedals are awesome. You can read why I bought them here.
Speedplay pedals were the single largest factor in turning me from someone that couldn’t cycle for more than 60 minutes without getting knee pain, to being able to scale the mighty climbs of Majorca… in about a week.
Put simply: buy some (or read my long term review). I’m on to my second pair (with the first pair still in use on my ‘winter bike’).
(Also, if you want to read more about pedals, you can read my mahoosive guide here)
These pedals solved my knee pain issues (along with getting a proper bike fit). I've used Speedplays for years and recommend them to anyone that will listen...
Cycling Shorts: Stolen Goat Bodyline ONE Bib Shorts
I have nothing but praise for these shorts from
They fit well. They feel good. The padding is generous and kept ‘down below abrasions’ during RideLondon to an absolute minimum.
You can read my review here.
Or just buy them here:
My 'go to' choice for longer rides. Super comfy (pad and shorts material), hard-wearing (I've used mine loads) and good value for the quality.
Cycling Jersey: Castelli Perfetto
I’ve wasted too many words on this blog, at first yearning for this ‘foul weather’ jersey and then, once I bought one, waxing lyrically about it.
I won’t use too many more words here. You can read my review (I also made a YouTube video about it).
The Perfetto will make any ride in cold or wet or windy weather immeasurably better. You might even have fun whilst it’s tipping it down. What other clothing can do that?
My favourite 'foul weather' cycling jersey. The original and best.
Workstand Race
My spellcheck seems to take issue with the word, ‘workstand’ (it feels there should be two words rather than one). Elite begs to differ.
Anyway, I’ve had this stand since 2014 and it is still going strong. It differs from other workstands in that it supports your bike by cradling the bottom bracket and then securing it at either the front or rear dropouts. This makes for a very stable set up, albeit sometimes making it harder to access underneath the bottom bracket. Despite this, I’ve got on well with this stand – you can see it in many of my YouTube videos.
The new version looks slightly different, but the principles around how it works are the same. The new one is also now compatible with thru-axle frames/forks, in addition to your more standard quick release skewers.
