Aaron Gulley is a Nigerian-born travel and adventure writer. He has covered the world from Bali to Namibia for Outside and writes a regular column for the magazine about cycling and bike culture.
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For club rides and racing, this shoe’s thin carbon sole is stiff yet sensitive, and the flashy graphics make you look speedy—even when you’re standing still. 10 oz; www.trialtir-usa.com…
The price promises a lot, and these shorts deliver. The bib is cut away in front to reduce binding and overheating, the fabric is impeccably sculpted to a riding position, and the chamois feels custom-fit. castelli-us.com…
PEDAL-FRIENDLY HEAVYWEIGHT Six-inch all-mountain bikes can be heavy and no fun to pedal, which is why they’re generally reserved for car shuttles and ski lifts. Not so El Guapo. With oversized aluminum tubing, stout links, and through-axle hub, it looks the part of a squishy all-mountain banger. But a Shimano…
The Ghisallo is a wake-up call for weight-freak roadies dutifully switching everything (even water-bottle-cage spacers!) to carbon: There’s another gravity-defying game in town. Weighing less than a box of Clif Bars, this all-titanium frame is not only the wispiest factory model available; it’s the lightest complete bike we tested.
Meet one of this summer’s best road shoes: The mostly mesh upper keeps your dogs cool and dry, even when the rest of you is melting. 11 oz; www.pearlizumi.com…
BIKE TO WORK Modeled after classic Dutch commuter bikes, the Amsterdam gives you everything you need for jetting around a city—and strips away everything you don’t. Its steel frame can handle the bumps and grinds of crowded bike racks and won’t buck you off when you hit potholes. And its…
FAST, NIMBLE TRAIL MACHINE Tomac Bicycles built a cult following in the late 1990s for producing some of the best early dual-suspension bikes, but it quietly folded in 2005. The company has reemerged this year with a line of bicycles that includes the beautifully executed Snyper 140. Using a single-pivot…
kona zing deluxe $2,000 Better known for its rock-bashing, mud-splashing models, Kona gussied itself up for 2006 with a series of new road bikes, including the Zing Deluxe. The teardrop-shaped 7005 aluminum tubing has more crackle than a box of Pringles, which made us grin on the uphills, where…
Inexpensive but not cheap, these kicks looked as good as new after a month of all-mountain abuse. It’s a solid starter shoe you won’t outgrow quickly. 13 oz; www.shimano.com…
A SMARTER WAY TO RIDE You know those glorious and rare outings when you think only about riding—and not about your bike? That’s what every ride is like on the carbon-fiber Epic. This year Specialized became the first major bike company to manufacture its own rear shocks, and their redesigned…
RACE-READY CARBON If you place speed above all else, consider this hardtail. The 986 may be Look’s first foray into the off-road world, but as their road bikes have proven, they know their way around carbon. With dramatically shaped tubing—faintly hexagonal in the top and seat tubes and broad in…
Produced by a Basque collective in the heart of Spain’s Pyrenees and raced by Iban Mayo’s Euskaltel-Euskadi team, Orbea bikes are like cask-aged single-malt: They’re all about small-batch quality. With the Mitis you get classic European geometry — a stretched-out cockpit and a glute-engaging position — freshened up with…
The S-Works iteration of the Boa ratcheting system is the best we’ve tried, providing a secure fit whether you’re screaming down singletrack or plodding through a hike-a-bike. 11 oz; www.specialized.com…
ALL-MOUNTAIN LIGHTWEIGHT Maverick is to the mountain bike what Apple is to the personal computer: the underdog that insists it knows a better way. And we’re not arguing with a Mac Pro, or the Durance. Designed by Paul Turner, creator of the suspension fork, the Durance combines Maverick’s brilliantly simple…
In a sport where rock can fall like hail, every gear list should start with a helmet. The comfy Wild Country Rock Lite helmet is available with an optional polycarbonate covering ($15) that can be affixed for extra rockfall and weather protection. wildcountry.co.uk…
Road This value-priced lid kept testers cool (28 vents!) on even the most sweltering days. www.louisgarneau.com Bummer: Not everyone will love the exposed-foam look.
Sidi has long made bombproof shoes for mountain bikers and the Blaze is no exception. With two sturdy Velcro straps and a rugged plastic sole, these synthetic leather cleats will simply not succumb to trail abuse. 12 oz; www.sidiusa.com…
ONE-GEAR WONDER If you think a four-bar linkage is a night on the town, the Lewis is for you. This aluminum-framed single-speed hardtail is all about simplicity, with one gear, a smooth, quiet trail manner, and no complicated rear suspension to maintain. But it’s not a complete Luddite. You still…
Eventually, you’ll probably own multiple pairs of shoes for different types of rock, but at first you want something with a flat last and ample support that’s agile in a variety of conditions, like SCARPA’s Thunder shoes. scarpa.com…
Road The Haxial’s mesh liner conforms to every head shape, and you get Italian panache to boot. www.trialtir-usa.com Bonus: The aerator plate blows cool air onto your noggin.
Unlike most cycling gear, which is either solid black or blue (thrilling!) or garish enough to offend your dog, Twin Six’s line of high-performance, retro-hip jerseys won’t make your partner cringe. www.twinsix.com…
Thanks to a supple kangaroo-leather upper and this season’s best application of the wrap-around Boa lacing system, this cleat is comfy as a slipper but still stable and responsive. lakecycling.com…
Black Diamond’s Aspect harness has intelligently designed seams that don’t dig or chafe, while the three speed buckles provide maximum safety and flexibility in a light, affordable package. bdel.com…
Road Here’s a top-shelf road helmet masquerading behind a midlevel cost. The removable mesh interior, one-handed twist-lock adjustment, and scant weight (11.2 ounces) are the types of features normally found on models twice the price. www.rudyprojectusa.com…
Articulated sleeves don’t bunch or restrict mobility while you’re riding, making this one of the year’s most comfortable jerseys. Bummer: The Transformers-inspired graphics may not suit all tastes. www.sugoi.com…
With a buckle closure and carbon sole, these have all the features of a top-end cleat—except the staggering price tag. bike.shimano.com…
Sterling’s 70-meter, 10.1-millimeter Marathon Pro rope strikes a good balance between lightness and durability. sterlingrope.com…
Mountain Scraping the bottom of your bike budget? The Slant blends surprising performance (21 vents and the secure ErgoDial fit) with sleek good looks in a killer value. www.bellbikehelmets.com…
The ultimate summer jersey: The soft MicroSensor fabric wicked sweat well, and the mesh panels kept air circulating—even at high noon in Tucson. www.pearlizumi.com…
If you log big mileage, buy this bargain shoe. The thin carbon sole is stiff, but it never put our feet to sleep—even after six hours in the saddle. cannondale.com…
We also like Black Diamond HotWire Quickdraws. The key-lock gate on the top ‘biner won’t catch on bolt hangers, while the wire gate saves weight. bdel.com…
Mountain Benefit from trickle-down technology with the Hex. It has chunky mountain styling, a removable visor, and the same superior fit (courtesy of the Roc Loc 4 system) featured on Giro’s top-end lids. www.giro.com…
These beautifully crafted workhorse shorts are a good bet for cyclists on a budget who want plush comfort that won’t fall apart after a season or three. www.descenteathletic.com…
This cleat stays cool on the hottest days. It has all the performance features you’d expect—rigid carbon midsole, removable mud cleats—combined with an upper that’s supercooled with swaths of mesh venting. northwave.it…
Mammut’s Smart belay device provides autolocking belay action at a fraction of the price and weight of other devices. mammut.ch…
Mountain Anticipating a trip to Moab in July? The Instinct’s cooling system has gaping channels that funnel air through like a fan. www.specialized.com Bonus: The on-off mountain visor is fast and easy.
Shorts and crabs is usually a frightening combination, but not here: The cushy AirGel chamois is infused with Crabyon (made from crab shells), which has antibacterial properties. Bonus: Durable knit between the legs prevents premature wear. www.louisgarneau.com…
This no-nonsense shoe is plenty stiff, has an aggressive tread, and sports a synthetic leather upper tough enough for the roughest trails. It performs as well as some cleats twice the price. bike.shimano.com…
Pick up a couple of Petzl Attache 3D lockers, which are great utility ‘biners for anchors and slings and can also be used for attaching your belay device to your harness. petzl.com…
When minister and aid specialist James Gulley came home alive from the Haitian earthquake—barely, after an incredible survival ordeal in Port-au-Prince—he turned right around and went back. His son went, too, discovering the true power of a faith he'd never shared.
1. MT. BORAH CUSTOM With seven-week turnarounds and minimum orders of just six pieces, Mt. Borah makes customcycling gear easier than ever. Jerseys from $83; mtborahcustom.com 2. VITTORIA OPEN CORSA EVO CX The handmade CX can handle pressures up to 200 psi and is…
This year’s trail bikes are lighter and more forgiving than ever. We tested the best.
1. SHELL MontBell's Mistral Parka is a hooded squall shield that vents well enough for sweaty runs and packs down to a softball-size bundle. $110; montbell.com Trail-Running Gear Essentials 2. SUNGLASSES The new VR50 lenses in Oakley's Flak Jackets block blue light to make trail details…
1. BROOKS INFINITI JACKET The billboard-size logo on the back will make you feel like a pro during warm-ups, while reflective touches make it great for chilly dusk workouts. $100; brooksrunning.com The Goods: Road-Race Day 2. TRIGGER POINT PLANTAR FASCIITIS KIT The antidote to…
Mysteries of the mind-body connection: Why does Willie Nelson make me run faster than the White Stripes? And why do both sound so much better coming out of the Thump Pro? I don't have answers, but I do know that after several trail runs I fell shamelessly in love with…
Strange but true: It feels good to run all day. Prep yourself with this go-far gear.
In the Store: Don’t know what kind of arches you have? Dunk your foot lightly in some water and then step on a paper bag. See almost your entire foot? You’re an overpronator. See very little? You’re an underpronator (this is less common). »…
From low prices to high comfort, the best new road bikes share one basic feature: fun
A legendary bike builder unretires to deliver the slickest new all-mountain ride on the planet
Rethinking the classic game expedition on a winged voyage over Namibia, where wildlife is only part of the landscape of vast deserts and empty coastlines
An exclusive conversation with Floyd Landis's training adviser
Go-fast gear for your next adrenaline-fueled run-climb-bike-hike-paddle through the woods
From sleek and sexy road machines to mountain-taming single-speeds, the big news about this year's best bikes is trickle-down technology that makes cutting-edge performance accessible for every rider and any budget