December has arrived and so it's now acceptable to start rocking it out to Christmas tunes on the turbo, right? As well as testing bits indoors our team of reviewers have also been heading out into the cold putting lots of new gear through their paces; here are the highlights this week...
£89.99
For easier use, an improved fit and increased toughness, the Roadman 3 overshoes for tackling the worst winter conditions now has Aero-Armour's tough neoprene at the top of the leg hem. Spatz’ overshoes extend higher up the calves than other options for plenty of protection, and feature an integrated thermal lined shin panel for warmth and water management, as well as 360 reflective detailing for early morning commutes or fitting in a post-work training session.
An extended 4.5mm Kevlar toe box has also been included for warmth and abrasion resistance without adding excess bulk and weight. George Hill has been testing the latest version of the Roadman and he’ll be sharing his thoughts soon…
www.spatzwear.com
£64.99
The Macator is Abus’ entry-level all-round performance helmet and it now has MIPS safety technology included for protecting against rotational forces in the event of a crash.
Ventilation is covered by five air inlets and eight air outlets and a mesh liner should provide protection from insects, says Abus. Is this affordable all-rounder a good choice? Matt Page has been finding out, his report is coming soon…
www.extrauk.co.uk
£25.99
Hornit recently updated its near-invisible Clug Pro bike storage rack, and so now it includes Fidlock’s magnetic winch handle and ratchet system which it says makes the rack more secure. Hugging your bike tyre, the Clug Pro works with the floor to store your bike vertically or horizontally, and the version Matt Page has on test for road.cc is suitable for use with 23mm to 32mm tyres. How secure is this new system? Matt’s verdict will be landing shortly…
hornit.com
£64.99
To keep warm while you’re waiting to start your ride or event, these leggings feature a full zip on each leg so you can easily remove with shoes still on when it’s time to go, go, go. NoPinz says you can expect to be 100% race-ready in seconds. The warm-up leggings are made from Roubaix Acqua zero fabric and heat applied reflective graphics are also included. Liam Cahill has been rolling up to the start line in these and he’ll be sharing his thoughts soon…
www.nopinz.com
£4,699
Handmade in Italy, the Diamante is Basso’s race bike and the model we have on test has been equipped with Campagnolo’s Chorus 12-speed rim brake groupset as well as Campag’s Scirocco C17 wheels.
The tube shapes and carbon layup, according to Basso, allow for a reactive frame with bottom bracket flex of just 0.4mm and a head tube torsion of 0.2mm, which is a significant 50% improvement over previous models. At the front end, you’ve got an integrated head tube/top tube which features split spacers for easy adjustment and these have an Internal Blocking System to help prevent the cables from being pinched. To increase the Diamante versatility, the new frame has also been optimised to allow for up to 28mm tyres. Stuart Kerton has been putting Basso’s latest machine through its paces and his full report is coming soon…
www.chickencyclekit.co.uk
For all the latest in-depth road.cc test reports, head to our reviews section. If you need some more advice before splashing the cash, check out our buyer's guides.
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