Cycling brands loved by the pros that you might not have heard of — carbon chainrings, custom parts, bespoke clothing + more as used by the world's best

If you want to know what cycling kit and equipment the pros really like using, sometimes you have to look past the big sponsors. We’ve spotted plenty of brands being used in the 2025 pro peloton that you might not yet be too familiar with. Let’s take a look...

Hinloopen mounts

 

 

 

 

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We’ll kick off with this pretty wild computer mount that’s fitted to Tadej Pogacar’s new Colnago Y1RS aero bike. The mount is 3D-printed by a brand that we weren’t all too familiar with, a Dutch design agency called Hinloopen. 

Hinloopen is known for its mounts that are designed to be super aero, and they make them for a range of bikes from  the likes of Pinarello and BMC... but they don’t come cheap. The mounts currently on its website retail for an eye watering £126.

Oh, and if you’re wondering how you get your computer in and out, there’s a locking clamp underneath that twists to hold your Garmin or Wahoo head unit in place.

Sockeloen socks

If you want to go fast on your bike, then aero socks are an easy win. Most brands claim that a set of aero socks can save you around 10 watts at 40kph, and much more at higher speeds. To put that into context, you'd get a similar saving swapping from a ventilated road helmet to an aero road helmet.

> Should you buy an aero road helmet?

So, what aero socks do the pros go for? Well, many have to use whatever their sponsors give them, but there are some notable exceptions. Pros such as Mathieu Van Der Poel and Michael Mathews have won some very big races using Sockeloen socks, and it’s little surprise when they claim to be the fastest socks in the world.

There’s a range of socks but the FSOTP 540 seem to be the pros' favourites. They’re made-to-measure, matching the rider’s foot along with the length and the diameter of their calf to ensure the perfect fit. Oh, and they’re €1,000 per pair. Maybe this isn’t as cost-effective as some other aero gains after all! 

Vorteq skinsuits

You’ve probably seen that for the 2025 season Jayco Alula have a new kit sponsor, MAAP. It’s safe to say that the kit looks absolutely phenomenal, but there is one issue: MAAP don’t currently make skinsuits, although we have spotted this prototype one being tested...

Obviously, if you’re someone like Luke Plapp trying to defend your National time trial title then a skinsuit is a must, and you’ll want a fast one at that. So, who did he turn to in his moment of need? Well, it wasn't a debadged Assos, Castelli or Rapha, but rather the lesser-known brand Vorteq.

Vorteq is well respected in the upper echelons of cycling. They helped Kalas to develop the Great British Cycling team skinsuits for multiple track wins, and also allow for a full custom fit.

Like most aero products, this doesn’t come cheap. The custom fit skinsuits start at £3,000, and there’s even more expensive packages which includes time in the Silverstone wind tunnel where Vorteq are based to really refine your fit.

Dynamic Bike Care

So far nearly all of the tech we’ve looked at has been prohibitively expensive, but there are also some cheaper products that the pros use. This Touch-Up from Dynamic bike care, for example, is designed to refresh and restore the appearance of white cycling shoes for under £30. 

It’s formulated to work on leather, synthetic and mixed materials. Dynamic Bike Care sponsors quite a few teams such as FDJ Suez, Alpecin Deceuninck and Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe. Would you give this a go? Let us know in the comments. 

Aerocoach wheels

If we ever have any burning questions about aerodynamics that we just can’t seem to get our heads round, Xavier Disley of Aerocoach is often the first person we ask. Well, it seems that many pro teams also rely on Dr Disley for their aero mysteries, as last year we saw loads of riders using wheels and equipment from Aerocoach, the brand that Disley owns.

Despite Roval making some very fast wheels, the best of the best such as Remco Evenepoel won’t leave any stone unturned when it comes to cutting through the wind. During many time trials last year, Remco opted to use this 100mm deep Aerocoach Aeox Titan front wheel, a favourite among the time trial specialists.

Aerocoach also makes handlebars that are particularly popular on the track, plus these very bling chainrings.

Carbon Ti components

Speaking of chainrings, it’s unsurprising to hear that the pro peloton is absolutely dominated by dinner plate options from Shimano, SRAM and to a smaller degree, Campagnolo. There is another lesser-known brand also making a name for itself though, called Carbon-Ti.

You might have seen these Carbon-Ti chainrings and brake rotors before adorning the bikes of Pogacar and his UAE teammates, but whether that will continue as the 2025 season progresses we're unsure, as the team now appears to have a closer relationship with Shimano.

Carbon-Ti will still be present in the World Tour though, as Decathlon AG2R continue to search out these marginal gains.

Sync TT bars

In recent years, there’s been a huge influx of custom 3D-printed TT bar extensions being used in the pro peloton. A brand called Sync is responsible for many of them.

Like with most of the products and brands we’ve mentioned so far, the thing that makes these attractive to pro riders and teams is the fact that they're customisable, which helps to accrue those marginal gains.

UAE Team Emirates, GreenEdge Cycling and the Australian national team have all used the Aerobar 3 to good effect, and like many 3D-printed titanium products it doesn’t come cheap.

Galfer brakes

Just like with most other components, Shimano and SRAM supply the vast majority of teams with brake pads, but there are a few notable exceptions. For example, Galfer has partnered with Team Lotto for the 2025 season, supplying the team with its lightweight rotors and Pro G1554T brake pads. Galfer is better known in mountain biking circles and outside of the UK, but we don't think it will be long before us UK roadies get familiar with the brand too.

Lotto aren't the only ones using braking equipment from more niche brands. Last year UAE were spotted using Absolute black pads with a distinctive hexagonal finned section for maximum heat dissipation. Teams such as Visma Lease A Bike were also spotted using a bedding in device from braking experts Sinter. 

It’s safe to say that when it comes to gaining every last advantage, the pro teams aren't afraid to search beyond the big brands to get what they need to win.

Let us know who we've missed and which one of these products you’d most like to try out in the comments section!