The Musette: Lightweight wheels, drag-reducing tyres, mouldable shoes and more

A white Bont Vaypor S Li2 shoe perched against a leafy bush

(Image credit: Josh Croxton)

The Musette is Cyclingnews’ Friday series in which we take a quick look at some of the world’s best cycling gear. We’ll take a look at pro-level equipment, bikes and components, alongside some of the most desirable clothing and newest accessories in the sport.

The test gear keeps pouring in and this week we've got an array of products that might be of interest to you, dear reader. With TT season ramping up, Aaron has managed to get his hands on some incredible-looking Schwalbe Pro One TT rubber which promises to reduce drag and shed weight. There's also some lightweight disc carbon hoops from Italian brand, Deda Elementi.

Le Col, in collaboration with Museeuw, has released a collection to celebrate both his wins in Flanders, with a black and gold kit, and in Roubaix, with this handsome off-white and red kit, inspired by the flagstones that mark the start of each cobbled sector. A cap and socks complement the main event, which is a Sport jersey featuring the dates of his victories on the rear, and on the front 'pave de la rosee' in celebration of the cobbled sector where he launched his decisive solo attack in 2002.

I’m a big fan of matchy-matchy, and while I do draw the line at pro kit this is a viable alternative whilst avoiding the risk of strangers mistaking me for Wout van Aert. The large block lettering, apparently inspired by French zinc stencil typography, combined with the red and white scheme did leave me feeling like a sporty pack of Marlboro Reds from before the govt changed the rules on packaging, but not in a bad way. In all honestly, I think it looks lovely, and while I am unlikely to win even one edition of Paris Roubaix, I could definitely stretch to some big-time daydreaming of historic cycling feats when I catch my reflection in a shop window.

As a time trialist, the need for speed is an ongoing battle - and it's a pricey rabbit hole to go down. Ask anyone who dabbles in racing against the clock. One of the easiest ways to improve on-bike performance - and this goes for any discipline really - is finding the right tyre for the job. At Cyclingnews, that's usually a case of scrutinising the best road bike tyre catalogue but, in the case of time trials, it's a little trickier. When it comes to TT, the tyre with the less drag and lightest weight is usually the quickest but is often not the most reliable. There are various attributes to weigh up - such as puncture resistance, compliance and price, and finding a product that balances them all is a tricky exercise.

I've experimented with a host of tyres over the course of the past year. I initially played it safe with Hutchinson Fusion 5 tyres, moved onto the Pirelli Pzero Race and even tried some Enve SES - all of which were tubeless. I played around with widths, opting for options ranging in size from 25, 26 and 28c. And while each of these options were good - in their own way - none were able to sate my mental 'feel-meter' when it came to outright speed, although the Hutchinsons were really comfy.

I began trawling the net for better options and stumbled upon Aerocoach's Racing Tyre Rolling Resistance test, which confirmed my reservations. The Hutchinson, Pirelli and Enve tyres I'd been using, were some of the slowest tyres in the test, with the Hutchinson finishing in the bottom five. What did interest me from the testing, however, was the Schwalbe Pro One TT tyres that finished 8th in the test (they're also readily available). They don't profess to be the quickest out there but they offer better puncture resistance and compliance than their faster rivals, and far greater outright speed than the options I was using.

These particular versions of the Schwalbe Pro One TT, are 25c and tubeless-ready. They're designed for competition use only and, as such, use the brand's Super Race carcass and Addix Race compound. I've used them on two time trials already and have come away impressed with the ride quality and performance, not to mention ease of fitment. Looking at my first outing using this setup, I managed to go nine seconds quicker than Hutchinson Fusion 5s on the same course (and surprisingly same conditions). More testing and racing await but I'm pretty chuffed with how they're performing. I love the aesthetic, too.

There's a luxuriousness to them from heel to toe. The overall shape is designed using scans from over 20,000 feet to ensure anatomical accuracy, and the pièce de résistance - as with many Bont shoes - is the heat-mouldable construction. Following Bont's instructions, a short period of time in the oven softens the resin in the carbon fibre allowing it to be moulded exactly to your feet. Having done this already, I can say the differences are small (a matter of millimetres) but for those with bony protrusions or awkwardly shaped feet, this technique and the blunt end of a screwdriver can be the difference between shoe heaven and shoe hell.

At first glance it looks like most other hybrid bikes: flat bars, disc brakes, medium-width tyres and a double chainset. It’s got some fairly simple and basic specs, which isn’t all that surprising considering the £850 price tag. The SmartForm C3 alloy frame is paired with a carbon fork, powered by a mixed 9-speed drivetrain, consisting of Shimano Altus rear derailleur and shifters, Shimano Acera front derailleur, Prowheel crankset with a 48/32 chainset and a Sunrace 11-34 cassette at the back. Tektro hydraulic disc brakes provide the stopping power, while the alloy Cannondale rims are wrapped in 700 x 35mm Schwalbe Spicer tyres. All finishing kit comes from Cannondale itself, including a wheel sensor that enables connectivity with the Cannondale app, which you can use to track your rides and get service reminders.

First impressions have been very good, and riding the Cannondale Quick is surprisingly fun. It’s a super snappy and responsive aluminium bike that picks up speed very quickly and feels both comfortable and agile on the roads. It feels lightweight on the hills compared to a lot of heavier hybrids I’ve ridden up my local Bristolian Col, and I’m looking forward to spending more time on it and writing a full review soon.

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

With contributions from