Topeak

Unlike SKS' Raceblades or Crud's Roadracer the Topeak De-Fender RC11 mudguards set is a more utilitarian style with the short front and the rear sticking straight out from behind the seatcluster.

They do having an interesting fitting design though which makes them perfect for attaching in seconds should you get caught out in the rain while commuting. Maximum tyre size is 700x25c and they weigh about 140g for the pair.

I'm planning on some French Alpine riding this summer, which has prompted an unusual flurry of winter hill training and much mulling over of maps and online cycle emporia.

The Topeak RedLite Mega rear light is reckoned to be the brand's most technically advanced safety light and I found it to be one of the best performers out there.

Topeak Mini Morph splices the best features of a track and mini pump - you know, in one of those experiments involving matter transfer demonstrated by Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum's unfortunate scientist in David Cronenberg's visceral remake of the Fly).

Topeak's entry into the admittedly not very crowded trailer market looks good but doesn't quite have the versatility of a Bob Yak.

At first glance the Journey is a very classy looking beast. Hefty looking aluminium tubing builds into a solid platform with a huge and very smart black and yellow drybag nestling on the deck. It's a classic single wheeler and the closest reference point is inevitably going to be the venerable, but much loved, Bob Yak.

If your road bike doesn't have eyelets then winter riding means one thing - a thick stripe of cack up your back. Round these parts that cack is distinctly organic, with a hint of nervous cow. Not so great, unless you're a big fan of e-coli, which is where snap-on guards like these DeFenders from Topeak come in.