Yahoo Finance Road ready: Your autumn cycling kit list
It’s 11 days until the clocks change and you’re feeling that plunge into autumn already: the darker starts, the bracing wind, the nights drawing in so fast it’s rapidly becoming a race home from the office.
Rides in your cycling shorts may be getting fewer and far between, but there are upsides to the changing season: rainbow leaf tunnels, fewer fair-weather part-timers on the roads, and - crucially - a chance to give your cycling wardrobe a flashy new upgrade.
Seeing and being seen on the roads is priority number one so take this as your chance to invest in that new season cycling jacket you’ve had your eye on approaching pay day. And don’t forget to accessorise: tights, gloves and base layers are autumn cycle-to-work essentials if you still want to get to the office with feeling in your fingers.
From the must-have high-vis jacket to lights that adjust to your environment, this is your autumn kit list.
The high-vis hero: Vizirider’s LED Jacket
The brightest jacket on the market: Vizirider’s all-new cycling jacket is fitted with 12 LED lights, specifically positioned to mimic the torso of a person so other road users can spot you easily. The lights last for 20 hours on a full charge and come with three modes: constant, fast and slow flash.
£85, vizirider.co.uk
The all-weather jacket: MAAP’s Ascend Pro Rain Jacket
Bright and beautiful. MAAP’s latest rain jacket is wind-proof, waterproof, and features reflective logo transfers for extra brightness in bad weather. It’s also the first cycling brand to be BlueSign certified, meaning its apparel is made from materials that are produced only using chemicals and processes that are safe for people and the environment, minimising air and water emissions.
£260, sigmasports.com
The body-warmer: Rapha’s Brevet Insulated Gilet
Pack this gilet for extra warmth on cooler days. It’s made with recycled Polartech Alpha insulation that’s breathable and quick-drying and features two pockets on the lower back for storing valuables. There’s an elasticated loop at the neck for rolling it up in your bag.
£130, rapha.cc
The eco-fleece: 66ºNorth x Cafe du Cycliste Landmannalaugar Fleece Jacket
66ºNorth and Café du Cycliste launched their four-piece capsule collection last week, designed to withstand the harshest weather conditions. Its body-hugging fleece jacket is inspired by the Icelandic landscape and features stretch paneling, a zipped chest pocket and reflective detailing for visibility.
£225, 66north.com
The shorts: Sweaty Betty Velo Padded Cycling Bib Shorts
The stand-out of Sweaty Betty’s new cycling collection is its all-new technical bib shorts, made from sweat-wicking compression fabric and a breathable mesh top. There’s a padded bum for extra comfort and a handy side pocket for your phone. The Sweaty Betty branded grip tape matches the pattern on the brand’s new cycling jersey and jacket.
£125, sweatybetty.com
The base layer: Megmeister Drynamo Cycle Short-Sleeve
Megmeister’s base layers are loved by pro riders for their mix of comfort and function. They’re moisture-wicking, insulated and seam-free - the brand’s high-tech Drynamo technology creates a breathing barrier which insulates from the outside world and carries sweat from the inside out.
£54.95, shop.megmeister.com
The gloves: Rapha Brevet Reflective Gloves
The ultimate winter riding gloves: padded, insulated and reflective. The redesigned wrist section features a bonded hem to avoid friction against the handlebar, with a streamlined velcro closure to reduce bulk.
The helmet: Livall EVO21
Pre-order yours now: Livall releases its new-season EVO21 early next month and it’s the smartest helmet yet, perfect for riding in the dark. A powerful front lightfaces the road, rear lights indicate your direction and braking to the traffic behind, and a special SOS system detects if you have an accident, flashes your lights, calls emergency services or a contact and sends them your geolocation.
£99.99, livall.co.uk
The lights: See.Sense Beam+ Front Light
Connect this smart light with See.Sense’s free app for crash and theft alerts, ride stats and light customisation. It adapts its brightness to your speed and light levels, increasing your visibility in places like roundabouts and junctions and conserving power when you’re in brightly-lit urban areas.
£179.99, seesense.cc
The headphones: Aftershokz OpenMove
The only headphones approved by England Athletics to be worn during races, these headphones transmit sound through your cheekbones using tiny vibrations, so your ear canal is left open to hear fellow road users. Each pair weighs just 29 grams and comes with six hours of battery time, so they’ll last a week of listening to the radio as you pedal to work.
£79.95, aftershokz.co.uk
The glasses: SunGod Airas
SunGod’s latest Aira sunglasses come with new 8KO lenses, the most advanced lens technology on the planet, for maximum clarity in all light conditions on the roads. They’re impact-resistant, scratch-resistant and come with 100 per cent UV protection.
From £130, sungod.co
The bag: Proviz Switch Backpack Cover
You don’t need a whole new backpack to stand out on the roads - this reversible cover gives any bag the ultimate road-ready glow-up. One side is made from Proviz’ famous REFLECT360 material for riding in the dark; the other is made from waterproof high-vis material for staying bright in the daytime. Both sides come with an added loop for attaching an light at the back.
£34.99, provizsports.com
The lock: Kryptonite Kryptolok Standard U-Lock
One of the sturdiest locks on the market. Kryptonite is known for its heavy-duty bike locks and its latest U-Lock, the Kryptolok, is the highest security yet: a hardened double deadbolt design gives additional protection against twist attacks, and the high-security disc-style cylinder is pick and drill-resistant. It comes with a Secure Gold rating so if the worst does happen, it’ll be valid for insurance claims.
£54.99, freewheel.co.uk
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