If you like jazzy white cycling shoes, high-end tools and still have time for the humble inner tube, step this way
(Image credit: Future)
Hello, my name's Tom Wieckowski, and I'm (fairly) new here. After the best part of five years of running a workshop and servicing bikes on a daily basis, I joined the Cyclingnews tech team back in September. My 'gear of the year' kit list is a mix of items I have researched and purchased myself and have loved using this year, as well as some that I've tested as part of my new tech team role.
I like to think my list comprises items that do what they say on the tin and represent a solid investment that I truly enjoy using, but will also improve the cycling experience in some way.
After stopping for a moment to actually think about my inclusions in this list and why I have chosen them. I think they all come from a motivation to try and make the correct gear choices to minimise potential issues arising in the first place. The issues that can be created by ending up in inappropriate kit, without the right tool or with an unnecessary bike problem can spoil your day and leave you feeling annoyed. I want my kit to work properly when I'm on the bike so I can just focus on the riding. When all is said and done, all most of us really want to do is get out and enjoy riding our bikes, and minimising the things that can scupper that can only be a good thing.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Quoc Mono II cycling shoes
First up on my list are the Quoc Mono II cycling shoes in white. These shoes were actually the first cycling product I reviewed for Cyclingnews back in September and I've been riding in them since March this year, logging around five thousand miles in them so far. When shopping for road shoes, 'do they come in white?' is one of the first questions I need answering and the Quocs definitely reply in the affirmative.
Preoccupation with white cycling shoes aside, the Quoc shoes just may be the best cycling shoes I've ever owned. I have owned shoes from most of the big manufacturers over the years and I've found the Mono II to be up there with the very best. They are lightweight and slipper-like without unnecessary bulk or padding which I really like in a performance shoe. On foot, they are incredibly comfortable and I haven't had a single uncomfy moment, hot spot or niggle from them. The Quocs double dials also allow you to tighten the shoes down well and fine-tune the fit. In a nutshell, the Mono IIs are super stylish, performance road shoes that I can just put on and enjoy riding in knowing they are going to perform.
(Image credit: Future)
Rapha Pro Team Training bib tights
I have tended to stick to my preferred shorts and leg warmers combo after struggling with uncomfortable bib tights in the past. The Rapha Pro Team Training bib tights have changed all that this autumn and winter for me.
They are thin, lightweight tights that are intended for cool and mild conditions. I think after several hundred miles in them they are the most comfortable and stylish bib tights I've ever worn. They almost felt a little too thin at first and wondered if they would keep me warm at all but I've found them to be super comfortable and warmer than they look. You can actually get away with using them in colder temperatures if you're working hard, too. A standout of the thin material means absolutely zero pinching or tightness at the rear of the knee which I really value. They also feature a size-specific Pro Team chamois which as you would expect is really comfortable.
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They are made from recycled materials and I have found the length perfect meaning I'm not trying to pull them up in certain places to keep wrinkling at bay. Super comfortable, and they looked great in the Navy colour I have them in. I'm sold.
The Abbey Tools hanger alignment tool is very nice to use (Image credit: Future)
Abbey Bike Tools HAG
The Abbey Tools HAG was on my shopping list for a while as a mechanic and when I finally got my hands on one I wasn't disappointed. Abbey, founded by Jason Quade has been making quality tools out of Bend, Oregon for years now. Check out the story of their origins - it's a cool one.
Hanger alignment is the starting point when sorting rear shifting and I'm a firm believer in ticking it off first. Bling tools are great but they still need to be functional when you're using them day in, and day out. The HAG certainly is and was a real step up from other alignment tools I've used in the past.
Abbey says that some tolerances are as tight as .0063mm or a quarter of a thousandth of an inch in some critical areas of the tool and I have no reason to doubt them. There is absolutely zero play in the head of the tool which makes all the difference when you're trying to tweak a derailleur hanger and get it perfect. The HAG is small and compact which makes using it a real pleasure, I've used it day in and day out for a large part of this year and it saved me time and made my work more accurate. In the future, I'm keen to add on the Abbey Lever Setter, which allows you to use the HAG as a gauge to ensure perfect brake lever height on the handlebars, which means it will be able to do two jobs for the price of one.
The Castelli Perfetto Ros 2 Jacket is an autumn and winter staple (my neighbour's wall needs re-pointing) (Image credit: Future)
Castelli Perfetto RoS 2 Jacket
My original Perfetto jacket was a favourite piece of kit for me and a wardrobe staple in the autumn and winter. More often than not I would reach for it over anything else such was its versatility.
The Perfetto Ros 2 jacket has built on the success of the original Perfetto and made some improvements too. What I love about the Perfetto is its versatility and just how capable it is. With autumn temperatures dipping, I could leave the house in it early in the morning with the sun coming up with just a lightweight base layer underneath, meet the local bash and ride hard in it for thirty miles with the zippered vents down and be comfortable, and then ride home. Fast forward a few months and with a winter base layer and additional mid-layer I rode for over three hours in it last weekend on a ride with snow, sleet and freezing temperatures and I was warm and comfortable for the whole ride. The Gore-Tex Infinium fabric is really brilliant in a range of temperatures.
The cut and thickness of the Perfetto 2 are light enough that it's not a hindrance when you are riding hard. But it really does a brilliant job of blocking the wind which can often sap your warmth over time, and whilst not totally waterproof it will keep you comfortable in the rain.
I was very happy about the Perfetto 2 being designed with three pockets at the rear instead of the two slightly saggy ones the prior Perfetto received. The addition of these made an already brilliant jacket pretty much perfect for me.
After decades of doing just fine with them, I think there's life in tubes yet. (Image credit: Future)
Inner tubes
Ok, I'll come clean. I still run inner tubes on my road bike and will probably continue to do so for a while. I'm so much a fan of inner tubes that I've decided to include them in my gear of the year list.
Running tubes for me is the path of least resistance and that's what I want from my equipment and bikes. A rim tape and a tube, inflate my tyre and I'm done. What could be easier?
I'm sure there are tubeless users worldwide that are completely sold and would never go back, but I'm happy to replace a tube in minutes in the event of a puncture and be back on the road, and would rather that than open myself up to a potential tubeless mess. There are more elements in the tubeless equation to go wrong or get around in the event of an issue or problematic setup.
Higher volume gravel or mtb tyres and wider rims, it's a different story. But for my relatively narrow road rims and tyres, the humble inner tube is still king.
Tom joined the Cyclingnews team in late 2022 as a tech writer. Despite having a degree in English Literature he has spent his entire working life in the cycling industry in one form or another. He has over 10 years of experience as a qualified mechanic, with the last five years before joining Cyclingnews being spent running an independent workshop. This means he is just as happy tinkering away in the garage as he is out on the road bike, and he isn’t afraid to pull a bike apart or get hands-on with it when testing to really see what it’s made of.
He has ridden and raced bikes from an early age up to a national level on the road and track, and has ridden and competed in most disciplines. He has a keen eye for pro-team tech and enjoys spotting new or interesting components in the wild. During his time at Cyclingnews, Tom has already interviewed some of the sport's biggest names including Mathieu van der Poel, Tadej Pogačar and Alberto Contador. He's also covered various launches from brands such as Pinarello, Ridley, Specialized and more, tackled the Roubaix Challenge sportive aboard his own rim-brake Cannondale SuperSix Evo, tested over 20 aero helmets in the wind tunnel, and has created helpful in-depth buying advice relating to countless categories from torque wrenches to winter clothing.
