Review section

You know the old saying, 'cover your head, 40% of heat of lost through it' and while that may be a bit of a myth there's no denying that a layer under your helmet can really increase your cold weather comfort on the bike. Craft's Zero Extreme WS (Wind Stopper) Skull Hat is one option for doing just that.

The Cordo Tafelberg is a sturdy cycle-specific laptop bag that'll protect a laptop up to 15in either over your shoulder or mounted on your bike.

Made from incredibly tough fabric, it's clear that this is a bombproof bag right from the word go. It's no lightweight at over 1kg empty, but that's because it's got all the bells and whistles to protect your computer, including a whole lot of padding at the front, back and bottom.

The Northwave GTX boots are warm enough to keep your feet comfortable right through the winter.

Let's be clear: my toe game is weak. Bad circulation, bad chilblains, bad luck... just bad. Too often over the past few winters, I've almost sacrificed frozen toes to the cold. So the recent spell of cold weather has reminded me just how glad I've been to have been testing these Northwave winter boots.

When it comes to niche products, not many come close to the Outeredge Full Zip tights for sheer obscurity. These tights are designed specifically for warming up for cross and mountain bike races where a fast start is crucial. By incorporating two zips running the full length of each leg, these can be whipped off in literally 5 seconds, for minimal start line faff.

So you've got a thousand quid to spend on a road bike, you've been to the shows, you've got the brochures and you've made your shortlist, but what's the betting Halfords' Carrera Virago isn't on there, more to the point... should it be?

Commanding the best part of 13 quid, Cyclepro's Ultra Five in One multi-tool looks overpriced and on cursory inspection indistinguishable from loads of others leaving Taiwanese factories in their millions. That said, the build quality is generally better than I've come to expect and it's certainly small and light.

The dhb Sync cycling jacket is an impressive piece of kit; a full-on waterproof and windproof outer layer, giving excellent protection against the elements. In design, it's more like a jacket for hiking or hill-walking, so may well appeal to people looking for versatility - although it has a bit of an urban flava as well, so may be useful for commuters. It also looks similar to the understated jackets from brands such as Rohan aimed at stylish world travellers.

The Northwave Blade 2 overshoes, or Shoecover as Northwave like to call them, fall into the neoprene camp for overshoes. If you haven't come across this style of overshoe before it is basically like a wetsuit, water will eventually get through but the material should trap warmth and keep your tootsies toasty.

Louis Garneau's Lathi gloves are an extreme design for the worst that winter can hurl at us, the despite their slightly cumbersome appearance are surprising dextrous and, thanks to their two part design, give excellent climate control whatever direction the mercury is hurtling.

The PBP Seamless Cap is part of Velobici's PBP collection. It's a skull-tight beanie made from a Merino-mix material: 42% Merino, 51% polyester Thermo-cool, 4% Nylon and 3% elastane. PBP refers to the Paris-Brest-Paris, of course, and the collection comprises "essential items for the long distance traveller, marrying durability with comfort, practicality and European chic." Though a PBP reference may be over-egging the pudding, there's no doubting that this is a very useful little hat.