Product picks of 2020: the best of the best
What with it being the end of the year, us here at CyclingTips have put together a bit of a list of our favourite bits and bobs of 2020.
If you haven’t caught any of our Tens Products We Love articles, I’ll do you a big en’ and throw the links down below. They’re worth a read, if I may say so.
In the list we each gather ten items that we’ve loved, it may be gear we have acquired through the year via testing, new bits and bobs we’ve spent our own cold hard cash on or maybe items that aren’t new to the 2020 manufacture catalogue but new to us. Basically, bling and not so bling bits.
Each list says something about the author. Actually, one or two aren’t hard to guess as to who the gear belongs to. There are no prizes for guessing the tech guru who has eleven of the ten items being tools (or something close to that), and equally, there are zero awards given to readers who work out the author who has a certain Swift product in their list -and yes I do mean Swift as in Taylor, not Zwift as I’m guessing most of you would understandably expect on a cycling site.
To accompany the article, we thought we’d put a video together. But don’t worry, it’s not an epic marathon where we each delve into our top ten and ramble on for a cinematic-length weekly Shoddy video. Nope, I thought better of that and instead asked for just two items from each member of staff who either had a few moments on their hands or could be bothered to do a bit of filming – yeah I’m looking at you Iain, letting the Oz side down.
Maybe we could class this video as “the best of the best”, or then again maybe it’s just stuff that was within arms reach and didn’t need too much effort to go get to chat about. We will never know!
So, as I always say at the end of these weekly articles, please hit play on the video. Delve into this week’s audio and visual delight. I’m sure you’ll be glad it’s not just me chatting to the camera for a change.
And as for the links to the articles, well here we go as promised.
Each and everyone’s top ten’s
DAVE “the tool man” ROME
If you’re into your ball bearings, your torq keys and shiny alloys you’re the best delving into CT number one tool nerd Dave Rome’s article.
ABBY “are you taking the” MICKEY
Abby offers up a pretty and pretty eclectic collection. There are some sweet floured MTB gloves, the annual album from her sister from a different mother (she wishes) and a fanny pack (man, that’s funny writing that as a Brit)!
JOSE “From the flatlands” BEEN
If Rapid carbon wheels and fancy electronics are your bag, and you wanna learn what’s needed to look slick while dashing around the dykes of the Netherlands, then I advise you to check out Jose’s top ten (that’s if it’s published yet, if not pop back where when we do and I’ll bang the link in here).
IAIN “the tash” Treloar
The Diverge Comp Carbon model uses the same frameset and wheels as the Expert Carbon model, and is arguably the one to have with its 2x Shimano GRX mechanical groupset. Photo: Iain Treloar.
Iain being the resident wordsmith likes to show off in his list that he can actually read. Fair enough Iain, but if I’m honest that album you’ve included pails in comparison to the one Abby slipped into her list. Beyond him trying to look all cultured he has included a bike that I also loved in 2020.
Ronan “screw you Contador” Mc Laughlin
Rohan, the new lad at work who smashed the Everesting record this year (before it got a bit tougher), has included some really geeky bits. I’m also betting he wished he wrote his list after “testing” the Campagnolo bottle opener. I’d also like to say a big old sorry to the new guy for forgetting to do an intro in the video, please cut me some slack I’m still learning how to correctly pronounce your name.
James “slow cooker, ride fast” Huang
James over in Colorado as we are all aware, is one of our top nerds here at CT. To be honest, we’re all nerds in our own way, but James is a special one. So special that he’s included a pair of reading spectacles in his list this year, and as we all know if you’re gonna out-nerd the nerds, you’ve got to look like a nerdy nerd…or something like that, and yes I know that’s a stereotype, but heck lets roll with it for this one.
Caley “Dude, have you seen my dropper” Fretz
If your after a list that includes items that I’m sure are only included because the author wants to look cool, then check Caley’s ten picks. He’s got a smattering of mountain bike bits in there, and let’s be honest if he weren’t an editor in chief for a site that is tied to the big dogs at Pinkbike he would (I’m sure) have chosen items that us curvy handlebar, slick tire, lycra-clad consumers would have recognized.
Dave “Shoody, no that’s shoddy by name” Everett
I just love it. So much so that it may very well not be heading back to Ritchey. Yep, it’s all mine now :)
Lastly, there’s my list. There’s an item in my ten that I’m sure Mr Rome probably thinks is quite quaint, there’s also a bike that I’ve gushed over for the past five months, and a fair share of Euro items, coz well, someones got to go for the funky Eurocentric styles.
If you’re after more tech, we’ll keep coming back especially once that calendar rolls over to 2021. We’ve big plans, we promise.
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