GEAR OF THE YEAR

The items heralded by our tech writers as the highlights of 2024

- 

The Cycling Weekly tech team has the enviable task of reviewing hundreds of new products every year, from inexpensive tubeless valves to extravagant superbikes. Each will receive a score based on form, function, performance and value but this rarely shows how we feel about them on a personal level. We rate them with you, the reader, in mind.

CW's Gear of the Year feature gives us a chance to reveal which products we've really connected with, those items we'd buy again in a heartbeat if they were lost or stolen. Some choices are predictable, others may surprise you. Read on for our 2024 top tech picks.

SealSkinz Upwell heated gloves

It might sound dramatic for anyone who doesn't suffer with Raynaud's, but if you do, you'll know how painful and life-limiting it can be in winter.

I've suffered incredibly badly with the restriction of blood flow to my hands (and feet), and over the years I have probably tried every pair of winter cycling gloves on the market in the hope of alleviating the numbness and keeping my hands warm enough to continue to function.

The quality of finish and battery life of these heated gloves is excellent, with more than enough power for a few hours of winter riding. As someone who rides for mental health as much as fitness, I had become pretty depressed about not being able to ride outside for a significant period of the year, but since riding with the SealSkinz Upwell gloves, I've been able to find joy in cycling year-round.

Whyte Rheo 3

I love how the Whyte Rheo 3 gets me out on a ride for a headspace spin, when the hills and even an outfit change normally threaten my ride motivation. As a smaller alternative to a cargo bike, it even allows me to replace car journeys too.