The Musette: a Tour de France special
A closer look at the world's best cycling gear brought to you by the Cyclingnews tech team
The Musette is Cyclingnews’ weekly curation of the world’s best cycling gear. Here, we’ll take a look at pro-level equipment, bikes and components, alongside some of the most desirable clothing and newest accessories in the world of cycling.
This week, however, we've decided to do things a little differently by flavouring the content with a maillot jaune twist to get you ready for the biggest grand tour of the year - the Tour de France.
We kick-started the week with a Q&A with Team CCC's Greg van Avermaet, uncovering his training regime, his favourite races and what he likes to do in his spare time. This was followed up by Josh Croxton's comprehensive preview of the Tour de France bikes. Our Aussie-based correspondent, Colin Levitch, wrote a history piece on Tour de France winning bikes while Lance Branquinho touched on the sensitive rim brakes vs disc brakes debate, unpacking the pros and cons of each technology in an attempt to understand which setup might win this year's Tour.
Our tech editor, Aaron Borrill, compiled a detailed group test on the best 3D-printed road bike saddles currently available, addressing the issues of comfort, performance price and weight. As for which saddle won, the outcome might surprise you.
As per usual, we covered myriad news stories - from the new red and blue livery for the Ineos Grenadiers' Pinarello Tour de France bikes and Giro's new Regime road shoes to the inaugural UCI Esports World Championships to be held on Zwift.
As always, we published some stellar eBay Finds after scouring the internet for incredible deals on rare cycling kit and memorabilia. This week we managed to find a 6.2kg Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod Di2 road bike - ideal for British hill climb season as well as a treasure trove of Tour de France-edition Procycling magazines of yesteryear.
We also published an array of expertly compiled buyer's guides to help you make an informed decision when it comes to your next cycling purchase. So if you're looking for the best bike chain lube, best bike multi-tools or in search of the best cycling shorts - we've got you covered. Make sure you scroll through the following guides:
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
- Best bike chain lube: keep your chain spinning quiet and smooth
- Best bike multi-tools: Fix your bike on the go with these multi-tools
- Best cycling shorts: Brilliant bib shorts ridden and rated
Now, let's get into what's new at Cyclingnews:
Koo Spectro and Demos sunglasses
To coincide with the start of the 2020 Tour de France, Koo has unveiled two new performance cycling sunglasses to be worn by Trek-Segafredo - the Koo Spectro and Demos. Both models utilise a Zeiss-developed one-piece lens that is claimed to provide its wearer with 'panoramic visual clarity'.
I recently tested the Koo Open Cube sunglasses and, while they offered a supremely comfortable fit and unique arm swivel design, I felt they lacked the boldness and panache of some of the best cycling glasses currently available. These two new models, however, will look to change perceptions with their contemporary design cues and ultra-sleek aesthetics.
Of the two new models, it's the Koo Spectro that has piqued my interest. While they follow the bigger-is-better lens philosophy, they're designed in typical Italian fashion utilising angular, geometric shapes and complementing colours which create a sense of theatre. The Spectro is available in five frame/lens colour options featuring Visible Light Transmission (VLT) values from 11 to 23 per cent.
The Spectro model pictured here is outfitted in the black/super-bronze swatch - a striking combination that will match most cycling kit/bike colour schemes. An additional pink lens - available separately - has been crafted for use in low-visibility conditions to help bolster clarity and contrast. While sizing is universal, an Asian-fit nose pad is available separately.
The Demos - while less extravagant in execution - are still intriguing and big enough to work both as a coffee-ride or race-day option. The chunkier frame has a retro feel about it and the one-piece Zeiss-fettled lens is sizeable and provides excellent lens coverage. The Demos are available in the choice of four frame/lens colour combinations, come in one universal size and can be specced with an Asian-fit nose pad.
Lenses on both the Spectro and Demos are replaceable. - Aaron Borrill
Koo Spectro sunglasses
- RRP: From €179 / £169 / $179
- Lens: Interchangeable Zeiss Polycarbonate lens
- UV protection: Yes
- Frame: Full frame
- Weight: 36g (actual)
- Colours: 5
- Pro team: Trek-Segafredo
Koo Demos sunglasses
- RRP: From €149 / £129 / $159
- Lens: Interchangeable Zeiss Polycarbonate
- UV protection: Yes
- Frame: Full frame
- Weight: 34g (actual)
- Colours: 4
- Pro team: Trek-Segafredo
Scicon Aerowing and Aeroshade sunglasses
Like Koo, Scicon will use the Tour de France to officially unveil its latest range of performance sunglasses - the Aeroshade and Aerowing. We first caught a glimpse of the Aerowing on the faces of UAE Team Emirates, Israel Start-Up Nation and NTT Pro Cycling earlier this month at Milan-San Remo, which the Italian brand used as a field-testing exercise.
The Aeroshade is unique in that it features the world's first height-adjustable nose piece, a technology Scicon calls Horizon Adapt which can tailor the field of vision based on your preferred riding position. Together with the Horizon Adapt feature, Scicon has also modified the frame to accommodate a raised top bar - dubbed Panorama Arch - to provide an unobstructed and commanding view ahead. We will be putting both these features to the test and will report on its effectiveness in the coming weeks and months.
Visually, they're on trend as far as cycling sunglasses go with a large-coverage single-piece lens, which is available in six colour options. The lenses are interchangeable and are rated at 100 per cent in terms of UV protection. The frame can be had in three colours - black, white, and crystal - while adhering to the one-size-fits-all approach.
The Aerowing may take on a more classic appearance but still possesses a prominent lens, finished in a half-frame style. Like the Aeroshade, it too follows the personalised fit philosophy utilising adjustable arm tips and manipulatable nose pad to keep things comfortable. In terms of lens options, the Aerowing is available in the choice of four Multimirror or one Photochromic lens - each of the five options come with an extra set of clear interchangeable lenses and can be specced to match one of three frame colourways (black, white or crystal). - Aaron Borrill
Scicon Aeroshade sunglasses
- RRP: From €190 / £170 / $225
- Lens: Interchangeable, six lens options
- UV protection: Yes
- Frame: Half frame
- Weight: 38g (actual)
- Colours: 3
- Pro team: UAE Team Emirates, Israel Start-Up Nation and NTT Pro Cycling
Scicon Aerowing sunglasses
- RRP: From RRP €180 / £160 / $215
- Lens: Interchangeable, six lens options
- UV protection: Yes
- Frame: Half frame
- Weight: 33g (actual)
- Colours: 3
- Pro team: UAE Team Emirates, Israel Start-Up Nation and NTT Pro Cycling
- Best cycling glasses: eyewear that blends fashion with function
Wahoo Kickr V5
As we launch headlong into the world's biggest bike race, the connection to indoor cycling might be somewhat tenuous, and following a three-month racing hiatus that was replaced by virtual racing, you might be sick of the sight of turbo trainers and so-called 'pain caves'.
The reality is, however, that the turbo trainer's rise long preceded the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was the original Wahoo Kickr that led the way when it came to turbo trainers in the WorldTour, way back in 2014 when Team Sky used them to warm up ahead of races.
We're now on version five of the Wahoo Kickr, which was announced to the world a few weeks ago, and with it came the introduction of AXIS feet; an increased accuracy that now claims a maximum variance of just one per cent; a maximum resistance of 2,200 watts - a number that even the WorldTour's best sprinters aspire to hit; and the ability to replicate inclines of up to 20 per cent. If it's anything like the outgoing Wahoo Kickr V4 that we reviewed, it'll be one of the best turbo trainers we've ever tested.
Nowadays, you'll spot turbo trainers outside the buses of all Tour de France's 22 teams at the start of a stage. Especially on stage 20, the 36km individual time trial that finishes up La Planche des Belles Filles, and you'll probably spot them at the finish lines of the hardest days, as riders pedal some easy watts to cool the legs before the following stage.
- RRP: USD $1,199.99, GBP £999.99, €1,199.99, AUD $1,799.95
- Max resistance: 2,200w
- Max incline: 20%
- Freehub: Shimano
- Cassette: Included, 11-speed
- Accuracy: +/- 1%
Aaron was the Tech Editor Cyclingnews between July 2019 and June 2022. He was born and raised in South Africa, where he completed his BA honours at the University of Cape Town before embarking on a career in journalism. Throughout this career, Aaron has spent almost two decades writing about bikes, cars, and anything else with wheels. Prior to joining the Cyclingnews team, his experience spanned a stint as Gear & Digital editor of Bicycling magazine, as well as a time at TopCar as Associate Editor.
Now based in the UK's Surrey Hills, Aaron's life revolves around bikes. He's a competitive racer, Stravaholic, and Zwift enthusiast. He’s twice ridden the Cape Epic, completed the Haute Route Alps, and represented South Africa in the 2022 Zwift eSports World Championships.
Height: 175cm
Weight: 61.5kg
Rides: Cannondale SuperSlice Disc Di2 TT, Cannondale Supersix Evo Dura-Ace Rim, Cannondale Supersix Evo Ultegra Di2 Disc, Trek Procaliber 9.9 MTB