Temperatures continue to plummet, but that's not putting off team road.cc from braving the cold and testing out a ton of new gear to give you our recommendations. Here's our pick of the products that we'll be delivering verdicts on soon.
Northwave Extreme RR Winter Boots
£239.99
These are proper winter shoes with no need for overshoes on top, with weather protection down to a teeth-chattering -15°c according to Northwave. The integrated sock has no Velcro or overlaps, instead it's made from a high-stretch thermal neoprene to provide warmth and high flexibility with patented Gore-Tex Rattler membrane inside. A carbon/fibreless combo sole provides stiffness for high power transfer, and there's further weather protection in the toe caps. They're a big spend, but is it justifiable to be your go-to winter shoe without the need for further weather protection? Sean Lacey is finding out now.
Rapha Women's Hooded Rain Jacket
£230.00
Another big ticket item, this jacket is a women's specific weatherproof option from Rapha with a "city-inspired" cut so it's just as wearable off the bike as on it. It's got fully taped internal seams to stop any water and wind getting in, and the hood is made to fit underneath a bike helmet. There's a drop-town tail to stop the spray from muddying your backside, that can easily be stored away in the rear panel. Is it worth the hefty outlay? Tass Whitby is doing the honours of testing it out, with a verdict coming soon.
Magicshine MJ-902B Smart Light
£69.95
This compact light has had a revamp, and is now customisable via a Bluetooth app. With 1000 lumens of power, it should be bright enough for trails and you can control the power exactly as you'd like from 1 to 100% through the app. It packs the power in a pretty small space, being just 72g and 45 x 33 x 38mm excluding the battery. The battery just plugs in to the light and is rechargeable via USB; you can also use it as a power pack for your phone off the bike. Last year Stu Kerton wasn't hugely impressed with the Magicshine MJ-900 due to the beam pattern, but will Neil Gander see the bright side of this new and improved version? The review is due soon.
Favero Assioma Duo power meter pedals
£735.00
We previewed these power pedals in late summer, and after two months of solid use we're ready to deliver our verdict on the new dual-sided offering from Favero. They're cheaper than both the new Garmin Vector 3 and Powertap's P1 pedals, with accuracy claimed at +/-2%. Do they deliver everything they promise in a simple, easy-to-use package? Check out the review later this week.
Shimano RP9 SH-RP901
£219.99
These new kicks from Shimano sit under their top-end S-Phyre shoes, and are meant for all-day comfort for endurance riders. The upper is a stretch-resistance microfibre synthetic leather with a seamless construction, plus perforated venting for breathability and comfort. A new carbon composite outsole is designed for optimal stiffness on long rides while the new curved external heel cup structure secures the heel and foot, with a BOA IP1 dial with hidden wire routing for adjustability. Are they so good there's no need to splash more on S-Phyres? Dave Arthur is testing them now.
For all the latest road.cc test reports, head to our reviews section. If you need more advice before you splash some cash, check out our buyer's guides.
After cobbling together a few hundred quid during his student days off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story), Jack bought his first road bike at the age of 20 and has been hooked ever since. He joined road.cc in 2017 having previously being Staff Writer at 220 Triathlon magazine, and reports on all things tech as well as editing road.cc's live blog. He is also the news editor of our electric-powered sister site eBikeTips. Jack's preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking (the latter being another long story), and on Sunday afternoons he can often be found on an M5 service station indulging in his favourite post-race meal of 20 chicken nuggets, a sausage roll, caramel shortbread and a large strawberry milkshake.