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Our busy reviewers put a huge range of bikes, kit and tech through their paces during a warm and dry July, with five bikes spanning road, electric, gravel, aero and touring machines receiving top marks, plus standout cycling kit, tech and books.
11 products made the Recommends cut last month, and there’s some more info about six of them further down the page:
- Cube Nuroad Pro FE
- Coast Optics Nita XL
- Gobik Envy 2.0 Flame Jacket
- Gloria All Gravel Titanium Sram Force
- Spa Cycles D’Tour 725 Mk2 Disc Tourer
- Castelli Espresso 2 W gilet
- Merida Reacto 9000
- Specialized Cotton TLR
- Moustache Xroad F26
- Castelli Espresso Jersey
- Le Great British Tour de Cake
Merida Reacto 9000
2026-Merida-Reacto-9000.jpg (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)
The latest Merida Reacto 9000 takes everything that’s made previous Reacto models so impressive and ramped it up to the next level. Our reviewer Stu called it “one of the best aero race machines [he’s] ever ridden”.
Merida has paired the aero frameset with an excellent specification, including Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 groupset, 4iiii power meter, Vision’s Metron 5D ACR Evo integrated cockpit, Reynolds BL 60 Expert DB wheels and 28mm Continental GP5000 TR tyres.
Stu also says that you don’t need to be a racer with immense bike handling skills to get the most out of this bike, and better still, this fifth iteration of the 9000 is exactly the same price as last year’s model at £6,250, but now includes that power meter.
Read our full review of the Merida Reacto 9000
Specialized Cotton TLR
Buy now for £76.50 from Sigma Sports
The Specialized Cotton TLR takes everything riders loved about the brand’s Cotton clincher and brings it into the tubeless era. It’s trusted at the highest level of the sport by the likes of Demi Vollering and Remco Evenepoel, and it lived up to that pedigree in our testing.
Despite Specialized billing this as suitable for racing, its durability impressed our reviewer to the extent he wasn’t worried about long training rides on poorly surfaced roads. Another bonus is that the very supple Cotton TLR is easy to install with a latex inner tube, or to set up tubeless.
The impressive ride quality comes courtesy of a 320TPI polycotton casing paired with Specialized’s dual-compound tread. A fast-rolling Gripton T2 strip runs through the centre, while grippier T5 rubber on the shoulders aims to boost cornering confidence. Available in 28, 30 and 32mm widths, the hookless-compatible Cotton TLR is finished with classic tan sidewalls.
Read our full review of the Specialized Cotton TLR
Castelli Espresso 2 W gilet
Buy now for £94.47 from Alpine Trek
Castelli’s newly updated Espresso Espresso 2 gilet combines excellent wind protection with impressive breathability thanks to a stretch woven front panel and the same Air_O Stretch fabric used on the Espresso 2 jersey, which also earned a road.cc Recommends award this month.
The fit is superb, feeling close without restricting movement, while practical touches such as a two-way zip and three rear pockets make it useful on the road. It also packs down small enough to stash in a jersey pocket when the temperature rises.
I tested the women’s version, but the men’s model features the same materials and design. It isn’t the cheapest gilet on the market, but if you’re okay with the price, you’ll be very happy with the performance.
Read our full review of the Castelli Espresso 2 W gilet
Gloria All Gravel Titanium Sram Force
Buy now for £4,819 from Gloria
Gloria’s All Gravel Titanium is a hugely capable gravel bike, combining massive tyre clearance, plenty of mounting points and a geometry that balances all-day comfort with a desire to ride fast and have fun. Add in its lifetime warranty and excellent attention to detail, and it offers impressive value for money.
The build we have tested oozes bling, with a SRAM Force XPLR 1x groupset, Zipp 303S XPLR wheelset, Zipp finishing kit and Vittoria Mezcal 2.1 tyres. These are all base prices, as you can change things like the frame finish and how you want the cables/hoses routed. Gloria is happy to accommodate a custom specification, too.
Our reviewer Stu says, “I really enjoyed riding the All Gravel. It just does everything well: it’s really comfortable, fun to ride and easy to live with, yet it has just enough zip that you can push your boundaries a bit too. It’ s just a very capable all-rounder.”
Read our full review of the Gloria All Gravel Titanium Sram Force
Coast Optics Nita XL
Buy now for £109.99 from Tweeks Cycles
Founded by two Brits in Whistler, Coast Optics brings years of eyewear experience into its Nita XL glasses. They offer huge coverage, excellent comfort and impressive fog resistance, while using a castor oil-based TR90 plastic with 50% bio-based content for a lower environmental impact.
Our reviewer Liam called them some of the best riding shades currently on the market, especially at this price. The Nita XL is available in black or the driftwood colour tested, and with a choice of five lenses. At RRP, with a clear lens it’ll set you back £79.99; with a tinted lens as well as a clear it’s £109.99; and with a photochromatic lens it’s £129.99.
Read our full review of the Coast Optics Nita XL
Le Great British Tour de Cake
Buy now for £15.40 from Amazon
If you live in or near West Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, this book is a really fun read and a genuinely useful resource for finding new rides and cafes, written by Heth Miller – a cyclist, cafe enthusiast, writer, and proud Bikeability instructor.
This book doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the rides are all quite accessible. They range from four or five miles right up to 33 or so, plus the ‘Mega Caker’ route at the end that totals 232.4 miles (but is split up into a six-day circular route to be completed at leisure). Terrain is a mix of road and gravel (think towpaths more than Traka), and the Little Legs rides are all about 10 miles or shorter.
Read our full review of Le Great British Tour de Cake
To see the full archive of products that have been awarded road.cc Recommends badges over the years, head over to the road.cc Recommends section
