Road Bike Online

At 725g including the bottom bracket, Shimano’s alloy Hollowtech II can put most carbon chainsets to shame.

By using the Shimano Dura-Ace chain shifting is as smooth as it gets, and by using the hollow but very rigid outer chainring combined with cold forged hollow arms design gives a very stiff structure.  RRP £439.99

There are so many bike racks are available it is only a matter of personal choice rather than which is the best.

This rear mounting THULE Clipon 9104 Bike Rack Strap-lite rack can carry three bikes.  Once the rack is assembled it only takes seconds to fit and remove from your vehicle with the quick release levers. The rack folds neatly for storage and the metal straps are rubber coated and clamp onto the bottom and top of the hatch-back.  The cradles holding the bike in place are soft but very grippy, these can grip either the top tube or seat tube, the adjustable fender keeps the bikes away from the vehicle.

It can carry 45kg and comes with a five year guarantee; though this rack is very well designed it might not be suitable for the smallest of frames, it will require a light mounting board.

If the serious rider is aiming on saving weight where possible then this solid CNC machined billet is for you, the 10-speed 12-25 Shimano compatible cassette weighs in at 99g, this is half the weight of Dura-Ace!

Coated in titanium nitride gold this ‘bling’ solid work of art should also be hard wearing.  £249.

More information: www.spincycleworks.com

Nothing really beats setting off for a long ride on a beautiful day with a bike that is gleaming clean.

Back in the day it used to take considerable efforts to get the desired shine, however Muc-Off have the answer to those with neither the time nor inclination to spend hours buffing and polishing in the shape of their Silicone Shine spray. Simply spray on a clean bike and leave it.

It dries completely leaving a sparking protective coat which also lubricates moving parts and protects against build up of dirt and grime, making it easier to get the bike clean next wash. Works well on paintwork, anodised alloys, plastics and many other types of materials and finishes.

This deceptively spacious saddle pack will allow you to carry everything you need for all but the most ill-fated rides.

There is ample room for two tubes, multi-tool, tyre levers, CO2 kit, patches and a tyre boot. Easy access to the pack is provided by a well thought out vertical-zipped design.

The pack itself is a nice narrow shape, minimising the risk of inner thighs catching and chafing on the pack, with a simple but effective mounting system via a strap over the seat rails and a rubber o-ring around the seat post. Contents are protected by a water resistant fabric and zip, and whole thing is completed by reflective piping to help you get noticed.

Newly released and extremely light the Comtat ultra-light plus bottle cage weighs in at only 23g.  The 3K finished weave is made with UD carbon, with smooth lines and a very classical looking design mean it is very well priced at £24.99.

Cages weighing less than 30g from top end names Look, Elite, Zipp, AX Lightness and Bontrager can cost almost twice as much.

This great looking cage will not look out of place on any bike.

For more information on Comtat please visit: www.comtat.co.uk

The battery was something that may well have been very different to the Dura-Ace due to costs, Shimano have cut costs but unbelievably they are using the same Dura-Ace battery – as the code does suggest!  Savings may well have been achieved simply by buying in bulk.

With the recharge only taking 90 minutes and regularly lasting two to three months its pleasing for the end user.  Weight is only 71g.