Five cool things coming soon from Bont, Specialized, 4iiii, Galibier and Exogard

Did you manage to get out on the bike this weekend ahead of next week’s festive one? Our team of reviewers were certainly out and about, putting some exciting bits of kit to the test, here are the highlights…

Bont Vaypor S 

£325

The all-new Vaypors now feature the latest top-end BOA Li2 Fit System for a precise, secure and micro-adjustable fit. The Vaypors are Bont’s heat mouldable shoes with an 100% carbon monocoque chassis consisting of hand-laid unidirectional carbon and the shoes also have an industry-leading 3.6mm stack height for closer connection to the pedal for more rounded pedal strokes to improve stability and prevent injury.

> 10 best high-performance road cycling shoes 2021 - get faster with light, stiff shoes

Upgraded 316 marine grade stainless steel cleat t-nuts are also included to up the quality of these premium shoes. Tech editor Mat Brett has moulded these to his feet and will be updating us on how these new shoes stack up soon…

shop.bontcycling.eu

Galibier Vent Air Gilet

£46.30

Claimed to be the lightest windproof gilet on the market, with the size large coming in at 52 grams, Galibier says this layer takes up just the space of two gels in your pocket.It makes use of an AquaVent membrane; Galibier says this low weight and low pack fabric also has a four-way stretch and it can also be taped, waterproofing the seams. The properties of the material prevent it from taking a dye so it’s only available in a transparent charcoal colour. Does this lightweight option provide the desired weather protection? Stuart Kerton has been finding out and his verdict is coming soon…

www.galibier.cc 

Exogard Intelligent Bike Protection

£35

Not only is this frame protection film invisible, it’s also claimed to be self-healing. Exogard says its film has been scientifically formulated to create a strong reliable layer of protection against damage from stone chips, abrasions, cable rubs and scratches. You can get it in either a gloss or matt finish, and the kit includes strips for covering the top tube, downtube, seat tube, fork (x2), chainstay (x2), seat stay (x2) as well as patches for cable rub and spares. How effective is it? Stuart Kerton covered his bike in the stuff and he’ll letting us know shortly…

exogard.co.uk

Specialized Prevail II Vent

£240

The new Prevail II is the coolest helmet Specialized has ever made, claims the brand, thanks to the removal of a total of seven foam “bridges” from the centre and sides to create ventilation channels. Specialized says these expanded channels move air across a whopping 18% faster than the original Prevail II.

> 19 of the best lightweight high-performance cycling helmets

Specialized has also updated its lightweight MIPS protection system - which provides 10 to 15 millilitres of rotation in every direction - with added perforations, along with a ripstop mesh to maximise breathability. How much of a difference have these changes made? Liam Cahill has been finding out and his full report is coming soon...

specialized.com 

4iiii Viiiiva Heart Rate Monitor

£54.99

This heart rate monitor doesn’t just measure your bpm, it also stores up to 65 hours of workout data so that you can be sure your valuable data is never lost and is used by WorldTour team Israel Start-Up Nation.

> 15 best heart rate monitors for cycling — get useful fitness data

Viiiiva can also act as a ANT+-to-Bluetooth bridge to connect your ANT+ devices to a Bluetooth-only receiver such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Liam Cahill has been training with the support of this device and his verdict is on the way…

4iiii.com

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.