Ritchey's new Outback is a steel frame/carbon fork gravel frameset that offers a stable and super-smooth ride. It lacks the mudguard and rack mounts required of a true all-rounder, but if you want something that sits at the sportier end of the market it's a slick offering.

• Pros: Smooth ride, stable
• Cons: Lack of mudguard and rack mounts will put off some

I've been riding the Outback over pretty much everything I can think of – fire road, muddy bridleways, chalky hardpack, gravel, tarmac in various states of repair, and even winding singletrack – and it has coped admirably with the lot.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

It's at its best when you can point it in a straight line and hammer over broken and bumpy roads and rolling terrain. Hit a hidden or unavoidable pothole at speed and it's easy to keep the Outback on track. Most times it'll just carry on with the minimum of fuss and no need for correction, and just occasionally you'll need to tap the handlebar back into line. What it won't do is dart off at a curious angle at the merest hint of irregularity, looking for any excuse to scare you witless. That means you can settle in and enjoy the ride.

Ritchey Outback - riding 2.JPG

You don't tend to notice smaller lumps and bumps too much. Of course, some chatter gets through to you in the saddle but the Outback is good at smoothing over high-frequency vibration. You're not shaken about like you are on some bikes, even if you're running quite high tyre pressures. That can make a big, big difference over a longer ride over rough roads when a harsher-feeling frameset can make you lose the love.

A long wheelbase means the Outback isn't the most dexterous bike through super-tight, super-slow turns – walking pace stuff – but it's happy to mix it up with the best of 'em over all other types of technical terrain. Head down slopes as steep as you dare, for example, and there's no judder from the carbon fork, and the rear tyre will keep biting on any ridiculously sharp off-road climbs you fancy tackling as long as you stay seated.

Ritchey Outback - riding 3.JPG

You couldn't describe the Outback as especially light, our XL model (built up with a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Ritchey WCS Zeta Disc wheels) coming in at 9.8kg (21.6lb). Ritchey claims a frame weight (including the axle and rear derailleur hanger) of 2.17kg (4.8lb). As we often say, though, you can get way too hung up on weight. I didn't actually put the bike on the scales until the end of the test period and I can't say it ever felt particularly heavy in use. It's certainly a long way from sluggish. I'd be far more interested in ride quality, especially on a bike that you're likely to ride on the dodgiest roads and tracks you can find, and that's where the Outback really scores.

Ritchey Outback -20.jpg

The Outback doesn't feel like the stiffest bike out there either, especially if you've just jumped off a high-end carbon road machine with oversized everything. That's clearly not a valid comparison, though. This isn't a bike where converting every milliwatt into forward motion when you're bouncing around in a sprint finish is a particularly high priority. The bottom bracket area can stand up to a bit of rough treatment without undue flex, though, and the front end will get you where you want to go when you find yourself halfway through a sweeping bend at an optimistic speed. I'd say that the Outback offers a ride that's not too harsh and not too flexible for the sort of multi-surface rides it's likely to be used on.

Geometry

The Outback shares a lot of its DNA with Ritchey's Swiss Cross Disc cyclo-cross bike, but the geometry has been tweaked and tyre clearances have been increased. Let me tell you about that geometry. As mentioned, we have the XL frame here, the largest of the five sizes available. This has a 583mm effective top tube (569mm actual), a 550mm seat tube and a 180mm head tube. Both the seat tube and head tube angles are 73 degrees.

Ritchey Outback -1.jpg

The stack on this size is 596mm and the reach is 401mm. The chainstays are 437mm on all of the Outback frames, the wheelbase on the XL model is pretty long at 1047mm and the bottom bracket drop is 70mm, considerably more than it is on the Swiss Cross.

All of that lot means you ride in a position that's quite aggressive by gravel/adventure bike standards (although not as aggressive as a typical road bike). Of course, you can use a big stack of spacers under the stem to keep the front end high, but the Outback is certainly a more sporty setup than many other bikes of this genre.

Ritchey Outback - riding 4.JPG

The frame is made in Taiwan from Ritchey Logic heat-treated, triple-butted steel tubing. You might think that's a good material for a gravel bike that could take the odd ding or two. It looks traditional in many ways – or at least traditional-ish. For a start, those tubes are skinny compared with those of most carbon and aluminium bikes, and you get a 68mm English threaded bottom bracket (I did say traditional-ish), which will please anyone who has suffered at the hands of a creaking pressed-in BB. It takes a slim 27.2mm diameter seatpost too.

Ritchey Outback -19.jpg

All of the plumbing is external, the front derailleur cable and rear brake hose heading south along the underside of the down tube and the rear derailleur cable taking a route along the top of the top tube and then down the seatstay. The post-mount disc brake is fixed between the chainstay and the seatstay.

Ritchey Outback -5.jpg

Outback up front

Ritchey's Gravel fork is full-carbon with a straight 1 1/8in steerer. Like the frame, it uses a 12mm thru-axle to hold the wheel in place and has clearance for tyres up to 40mm wide. That might depend a little on the rim and tyre manufacturer, but we had plenty of space around Ritchey's own WCS Zeta Disc wheels and semi-slick Speedmax 700 x 40 tyres. A lot of brands are offering a little more clearance than that these days, especially if they're pitching their bike as more of an all-rounder.

Ritchey Outback -23.jpg

Speaking of that, the lack of mudguard and rack eyelets might raise a few eyebrows, especially among those hoping to use the Outback for a bit of everything, including commuting in typical UK conditions (yes, it's all about us!).

We asked Ritchey and were told they'd been omitted because the bike is designed to be sporty and to work with frame bags and a light load. Fair enough. It also allows Ritchey to use a slightly lighter tubeset than would otherwise be needed. Ritchey already offers the Ascent, which has mudguard and rack braze-ons and can be run with either 700C or 650B wheels and flat or drop handlebars. So, there you go: that's the reasoning.

Ritchey Outback -4.jpg

As mentioned, the Outback is available as a frameset only (frame, WCS full-carbon fork, and WCS headset) for £1,299, so you can build it up however you like, or have your caring, sharing local bike shop do it for you.

As well as the Shimano Ultegra mechanical groupset, Ritchey WCS Zeta Disc wheels and Ritchey Speedmax tyres already mentioned, our test bike came with a Ritchey WCS handlebar, stem and seatpost and saddle. I won't go into depth on the components because they're not part of the package, but it all worked well. I was very happy with a 50/34-tooth chainset and an 11-32 cassette for the type of riding I like to do although you could spec a cyclo-cross chainset if you preferred or go for a 1x system with just a single chainring. Your shout.

Ritchey Outback -2.jpg

One thing I will say is that although tyre selection is important to any bike it is absolutely crucial to a bike like this. The new tubeless-ready 40mm version of the Ritchey Speedmax has a low-profile tread down the centre with some knobbly edges that provide traction through the corners. Although it can get a little overwhelmed in really muddy conditions, it's an excellent option for gripping hard and rolling fast on chalk, gravel and anything else that's closer to firm than gloopy.

Ritchey Outback -8.jpg

Good value?

You can get something like a Genesis Croix de Fer frameset for £499.99. That's a steel adventure bike that scores very highly for value. The four-season Mason Resolution frameset, which uses Columbus steel tubing, is £1,495. The Outback sits between those two in terms of price. You certainly don't need to spend £1,299 to get a made-in-Taiwan steel frame, but this is a very good one.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best gravel and adventure bikes

The slim, steel-framed Outback is about as far away from being a 'me-too' gravel bike as you could wish to get. The lack of mudguard and rack mounts might be an issue for some, but if you're happy without and you're after a gravel/adventure bike that's sporty, stable and above all smooth, this would be a very good choice.

Verdict

Steel-framed gravel/adventure bike that offers a smooth ride and plenty of stability

Ritchey has gone inverse with the tread on its Alpine JB WCS Stronghold tyres to create a tyre that grips on light gravel and rough sections of broken country lane while also offering a smooth ride if you want to get a shift on on the tarmac. A very impressive all-round tyre choice indeed.

• Pros: Great ride quality on a variety of terrain, durable, grippy
• Cons: Took a little bit of faffing to get one of the beads to sit

Inverse tread patterns aren't new but it's not something we see very often; most tyre companies tend to use extruded rubber patterns to provide grip away from the road.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Having the tread recessed into the tyre means the Alpine JBs still run very smoothly on tarmac, not far off something like Schwalbe's dimpled G-One Speeds but with the added advantage that they have a good amount of bite if you take to a canal path or gravel byway, even when pumped up to road pressures.

> How to choose the right tyre pressure

The Ritcheys have an upper pressure limit of 110psi but for road use I settled on 90psi and they rolled very quickly, with a fair amount of absorbance through the 120tpi (threads per inch) carcass so there are no comfort issues. Because of this they also give plenty of feedback too.

Grip

Grip is really impressive. You've got this nagging doubt in your mind that they aren't going to be all that, with a fair bit of rubber not touching the surface, but in reality it's fine and once you've nailed that first twisty descent or roundabout flat-out you soon realise there is little to worry about.

Darting onto the local tank tracks mid-ride, the tyres scrabble about at these pressures but you soon adapt. I've ridden 35mm cyclo-cross tyres at half this pressure that feel just the same, so Ritchey is obviously doing something right.

> When should you change your tyres?

The 30mm version that we have here isn't tubeless ready so you might not want to run them too soft and risk pinch flats. The 35mm option is though so if you want to go down the route of dropping the pressures low for a full day off-road without running the risk of a pinch flat that might be the better option for you.

They aren't exactly full-blown gravel tyres, though, so I'm not going to criticise them for them for their traction on the loose stuff. For their intended use on smooth roads, those with a slightly broken surface and hardpacked towpaths, they can't really be faulted.

Fitting

Fitting them to the rims (I tried them on Ritchey's own Classic Zeta wheels and a pair of Vision Team 35s) was simple enough and only required a bit of leverage from the thumbs, though a couple of times I couldn't quite get the bead to pop into place against the hook of the rim as it was sitting too low. A bit of bouncing it around on the patio soon got it seated and from then on I had no issues.

> How to fit clincher tyres

Durability-wise I certainly can't see anything that concerns me. I had no issues with punctures or cuts and the tan wall casing is reinforced, which Ritchey calls Stronghold. This certainly resisted any sharp stones from nicking through when I was riding on the gravel.

Value

Cost-wise things aren't too bad against the opposition. The Ritcheys will set you back £41.95 each at rrp, a couple of quid more than the similarly themed 32mm Panaracer T-Serv ProTite at £39.99.

Schwalbe's dimpled G-Ones are good all-rounders, although admittedly they are aimed more at off-road, but they perform very well on it too. You'll be looking at around £49.99 for a set of those, so when you consider the performance of the Ritcheys I'd say they are priced fairly.

Overall, the Ritchey Alpine JB is a great tyre for letting you get out and explore off the beaten track even on your road bike.

Verdict

Great tyre for roadies who fancy broadening their horizons without buying a new bike

Ritchey has managed to build a tough yet lightweight package with its Classic Zeta wheels and they look the part too with their highly polished silver finish. Whether on smooth tarmac, broken back lane or potholed byway, they roll quickly and aren't shy of taking a knock or two.

• Pros: Impressive weight, smooth running, tough as old boots
• Cons: Freewheel material a little soft

If you want polished alloy components for your bike, there aren't many options, as I found out a few years ago trying to build up a classic looking steel tubed frameset. Ritchey's Classic range was about the only quality stuff out there and it's part of that selection that these new Zeta wheels fit into.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy these online here

What you get for your £569 is a pair of 6061 aluminium alloy rims, Phantom Flange hubs connected by DT Competition j-bend spokes and an all-in weight of 1,491g.

Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset - rim detail.jpg

The rims have an external width of around 22mm which makes them more suited to larger tyres like 28mm or even Ritchey's own 30mm-wide WCS Alpine JBs, which were used for a lot of the test miles.

Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset - rim bed.jpg

Fitting tyres to them is simple: I tried a few brands out of the piles of test tyres I have and none were a struggle or faff to fit.

The braking surface has been machined for a true and grippy finish and it works well in the wet and the dry using the SwissStop Green brake pads that were on the test bike.

Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset - rim decal.jpg

The front wheel uses a radially laced pattern comprising 20 spokes, with the rear being a mix of radial on the non-drive side and two-cross on the drive side, a total of 24 spokes.

Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset - front hub 2.jpg

To create a little bit more dishing on the drive side, the rear uses an offset rim bed. The flat central part of the rim where the spokes enter is moved over towards the non-drive side. More dish allows for a stronger wheel.

Performance

Strength is what you need, as well, as Ritchey has specced these Zetas for road, cyclo-cross and light adventure use. It's quite a sparse setup in terms of spokes for that all-round kind of use, but it certainly seems to work as these wheels haven't put a foot wrong.

Whacking a pothole is pretty much inevitable these days and I've smashed through a few on the Ritcheys without issue; they are still running true and the rims have taken the abuse.

They've also seen some pretty hard miles on various sizes of gravel, from the small stuff through to bigger, rockier sections. Again, not a single complaint.

The hubs are quite a large diameter right the way across, doing away with a narrow mid-section and tall flanges at the ends like most. They run beautifully smoothly, with the front being silent while the rear has a subtle click to the freehub without being overly shouty.

Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset - rear hub.jpg

The freehub uses a 6-pawl, 12-point engagement which is quick to lock in for instant acceleration, and if you like to track stand at the lights you don't get that floating feeling waiting for the pawls to engage as you rock backwards and forwards.

The one thing I will say is that the alloy freehub body is a bit on the soft side, as the cassette has cut into the splines a bit, which required the use of a file when swapping over sprockets. Something like the steel insert added to Hunt's wheels might be a good idea here.

> Buyer's Guide: 27 of the best road bike wheels

Thanks to their low weight, the Zetas perform across the board. Acceleration and climbing feel great as the wheels are just so quick to spin up to speed, and once up there they roll extremely well.

They're comfortable, too, as the handbuilt setup leaves enough give in the spoke tension to keep the wheels stiff for those hard efforts without being an overly harsh ride.

Value

The price is quite high for a set of alloy rims these days, but there are others out there that are similar: Deda's Zero 2 wheels, for instance, at £539.99 and about 130g heavier. Or there's the similar weight American Classic Argent tubeless, which cost a massive £875, not that American Classic is around any more, having closed down in January.

More commonplace wheels like Fulcrum’s Racing 5s (we tested the disc brake version here) weigh in at around 1,600g and have an rrp of £269.99, so you can certainly go cheaper for similar performance.

Overall, though, I think the Ritcheys are a very good showcase for getting what you pay for, with a great all-round feel of quality, durability and performance.

Verdict

High-performance wheels that are just as at home on your race machine as they are on your gravel hack

A change of pedals can lop a chunk of weight off your bike and also give you a chance to switch to pedals that work better in other ways such as providing a broader platform for your shoes or user-friendly double-sided mechanism.

In the selection of lightweight, high-end pedals below we’ve picked pedals designed to save weight but that also improve over regular or less expensive designs in other ways.

For example, Look’s latest Keo Blade pedals have a very large steel contact plate, which in theory makes the cleat — and therefore the shoe — steadier on the pedal.

The Hairsine ratios for these pedals are based on Shimano’s 330g R540 pedals, except for the Ritcheys which we’ve compared with Shimano’s 374g M520s.

>>Read more: Buyer's Guide — The best clipless pedals

Ritchey WCS Micro — £71.99

Weight: 208g Hairsine ratio: 2.31

Ritchey Pro Micro V4 Road Pedals - pair

The Ritchey WCS Micro Road Pedals are lightweight, sleek pedals for SPD-cleat users. At 208g (plus cleats), they’re are at the lighter end of heavy; they’re almost certainly the lightest option if you want to use shoes you can easily walk in.

Once clicked in they feel just as good as any other high-end SPD-style pedal, with a decent amount of float, no fore-aft slop and clean entry/exit even with grime underfoot. Being single-sided you have to look a bit, and without the SPD-SL's large rear end they don't hang ready to clip into.

We didn't find flipping them over to engage to be any hassle, the compactness meaning they didn't want to spin all the way over under their own gravity. Double-sided SPDs might be a boon off-road where you are clipping in-out frequently, but for even moderately-experienced road users the single-sidedness of the Ritcheys shouldn't be an issue.

The Pro version we reviewed is no longer available, but the WCS model is lighter and has recently had a bearing and axle upgrade to prolong its service life.

Read our review of the Ritchey Micro V4
Find a Ritchey dealer

Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedals — £149.99

Weight: 208g Hairsine ratio: 0.81

Speedplay Zero pedals

Those who love Speedplays rave about the low weight, adjustability, and shallow stack. But it's undeniable they need more looking after than most pedals, the large cleat is awkward to walk in (the new aero cleat is a big improvement on the original naked cleat though) and they're susceptible to clogging from even the smallest amount of dirt.

But if you have knees that are in any way fragile, or you want pedals that are incredibly easy to enter and release but fit stiff-soled road racing shoes, their free float and double-sided designs make Speedplays well worth considering.

Read our review of the Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedals
Find a Speedplay dealer

Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Carbon SPD-SL — £148.99

Weight: 228g Hairsine ratio: 0.68

Shimano PD-R9100.jpg

This is the lighter successor to the previous carbon-composite Dura-Ace pedals, with 20g less material around the go-on-forever internals that have always made Dura-Ace pedals long-term good value.

The pedal body is 63mm wide, which is exactly the same width as Look Keo Carbon Blades, so you get a shed-load of stability. Your cleats just don't rock on these pedals; it's an absolutely rock-solid platform (as is the Look design). Where Shimano scores over its French rival is that the stainless steel plate across the centre of the pedal body — over the top of the axle — is replaceable. If you eventually wear it down, you can fit a new one without the need to buy a whole new set of pedals. That makes a lot of sense.

The SPD-SL cleats you get in the box have 6 degrees of float - meaning that you can pivot your foot 3 degreees in either direction before becoming unclipped. I've always found that to be plenty for keeping the old knees happy although, of course, you might be different.

Read our review of the Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Carbon SPD-SL

Xpedo Thrust XRF08CT — £178.03

Weight: 184g Hairsine ratio: 0.82

Xpedo.jpg

Despite their conventional steel springs, these carbon-bodied Look Keo clones from the upmarket arm of Taiwanese pedal giant Wellgo are very light, thanks to their pared-down carbon fibre bodies and titanium axles.

Out on the road these provide you with a whole lot of stability. That wide pedal body gives you a solid platform underneath your foot for putting down the power, with no rocking from side to side. The mechanism hangs on to your cleat securely, and if you wind up the tension there’s virtually no chance of your foot disconnecting unexpectedly.

Read our review of the Xpedo Thrust XRF08CT

Look Keo Blade Carbon Ti Pedals — £199

Weight: 180g Hairsine ratio: 0.75

2018_look_keo_blade_carbon_ti_pedals.jpg

This is the lightest incarnation of Look’s Keo pedals, and uses a weight-saving carbon fibre leaf spring to provide the retention force in place of the usual steel coil.

We like the less expensive Keo Blade and these have even more bells and whistles, including a very large steel contact plate for stability (700mm2 rather than the Max’s 400mm2) and titanium axle.

The latest versions of the Keo Blade Carbon  and Keo Blade Carbon Ti have interchangeable leaf springs; they come set up with 12Nm springs, but there's a 16Nm spring in the box, and a special tool to help make the job easy. You can also buy a 20Nm spring, but Look warns that you shouldn’t come crying to them if you crash because you can’t get out of the 20Nm version.

Read our review of the Look Keo Blade Carbon Pedals

Time Xpresso 15 — £264.20

Weight: 140g Hairsine ratio: 0.72

TIME Xpresso 15 pedals

The Time Xpresso 15 pedals are extremely light and clipping in/twisting out could hardly be easier. The downside is the price, and the cleats wear noticeably faster than those of other brands.

At just 140g for the pair, they're phenomenally light thanks to carbon bodies, titanium axles, aluminium top plates and ceramic bearings. Clipping in is very easy thanks to a spring mechanism that stays open after you click out.

Read our review of the Time Xpresso 15
Find a Time dealer

Speedplay Zero Titanium Nanogram — £509.99

Weight: 120g Hairsine ratio: 0.41

Speedplay Nanogram

At just 120g/pair these race-day-only pedals are Speedplay's demonstration that the Zero design can be made extraordinarily light. Speedplay has often displayed superlight bikes at trade shows; these pedals help make bikes like those even lighter.

The low weight is achieved by the use of every lightweight material you can think of: carbon-reinforced thermoplastic bodies; ceramic bearings; titanium axles; titanium bolts; and aluminium top plates. The cleats have been lightened too with carbon fiber replacing the plastic and aluminium fasteners instead of steel. They're bonkers expensive, but you have to admire the fanaticism.

Find a Speedplay dealer

>> Read more: All road.cc pedal reviews

The Ritchey Classic 2 Bolt seatpost is exactly that, a simple, well-made design that with its polished silver finish looks excellent on metal frames, especially if you're refurbishing a retro race frame from a bygone era.

• Pros: Beautiful polished finish, easy to use clamp design
• Cons: Not as light as carbon if that bothers you

Ritchey really fills a gap with the Classic. A few years ago I bought myself a steel Italian frame with lovely slender tubes and a narrow 1in steerer. With a set of handbuilt, silver wheels and hubs, all it needed was some corresponding finishing kit but choices were very limited.

> Find your nearest dealer here

To get everything to match – stem, handlebar and seatpost – the Classic range was pretty much the only option. Thankfully, while it was pretty much the only choice, it was a very good one.

This seatpost is forged from 2014 series aluminium alloy which gives a strong component without too much weight: 260g for this 27.2 x 350mm option on the road.cc Scales of Truth, against the claimed 245g on Ritchey's website.

The outside is beautifully smooth thanks to the polished finish, and has been kept to a tight tolerance to fit in the seat tube without slippage. Internally, the walls of the tube are oval, being thicker front and rear to cope with the loads applied from your pedalling and hitting bumps in the road.

It's made more noticeable by the chamfered bottom edge of the post. Structurally the chamfer doesn't mean much, but it's an extra process that doesn't necessarily need to be done; it removes any burrs from the edge and shows a high attention to detail.

The Classic comes in three diameters, 27.2, 30.9 and 31.6mm, all in a single length of 350mm. Like most, Ritchey allows a minimum installation of 100mm of post into the frame so you get 250mm of usable height from seatclamp to the middle of the saddle rails: plenty on all but the most compact of frames.

The clamp, as the name suggests, uses a two-bolt setup, one either side of the neck of the post to clamp each rail.

You get an upper and lower plate which clamps the rails evenly as you adjust things. For angle tweaking, you get an arched head mated to serrated curved washers for each of the bolts, and when tightened to the recommended 12Nm torque I got no slippage at all.

Price-wise, you can pick up a cheap alloy post from around 15 quid so why spend nearly 60 on one?

Well, first up, you can save a few grams. I've got a £20 Cinelli seatpost here and it weighs 301g for the same size post with a similar clamping system.

The main difference though is the quality of the finish. The Ritchey's main post is forged in one piece as opposed to cheaper options which will have the head bonded into the aluminium tube. A one-piece structure adds strength without increasing weight.

At €63.95 (currently £55.88), the Classic isn't even that expensive really. Thomson's Elite (we tested the top flight Masterpiece option here) is £77.95, currently discounted to £58.46 on its website. It's a little lighter at a claimed 241g.

Fizik's Cyrano R3 seatpost is one that I've previously owned and it was a beauty, just as easy to set up as the Ritchey and of similar quality with a claimed weight of 240g, but its rrp is a cool £92.99.

Overall, the Classic seatpost is simply that: smooth lines with an excellent finish backed up with a quality construction which will suit many bikes old and new.

Verdict

A beautifully finished seatpost with classic looks whose beauty isn't only skin deep

Tom Ritchey has been making nice bits and bobs for bikes (as well as whole bikes) for a good long while now, and he knows his way around a seatpost all right. The WCS Carbon Link Flexlogic seatpost combines a low weight with compliance, claimed to make your ride more comfortable. The price is high, mind.

• Pros: Light, adds a degree more comfort to your bike, scale is useful to get right saddle height
• Cons: A bit fiddly to fit, expensive, scale could be clearer

The Flexlogic is likely to appeal if you want to add a little comfort to your bike without adding any weight. Sure, if you're not fussed about weight then there are some alternatives that are likely to give a more significant addition of cush, but for your best bike you might not want to add a few hundred grams of weight.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Ritchey claims that its Flexlogic seatpost is "15% more vertically compliant", a frustratingly non-specific piece of marketing if ever I heard one. Assuming that is relative to a generic seatpost which wasn't designed for comfort then 15% is actually quite a small margin of improvement.

As it's impossible to ride the exact same bumps from one ride to the next, all I can give you is my subjective impression, which is that it did indeed offer a modest improvement in comfort when compared to the standard aluminium post that it replaced. It's hard to quantify, but it might be of a similar order to the effect of dropping 20psi in your tyres, with the obvious proviso that only your bum (not your hands or feet) will feel the difference. There's certainly not enough to really take the sting out of a pothole or bump that snuck up on you, but just a gentle damping effect that takes some of the road buzz out before it reaches your butt.

The compliance is apparently due to the FlexLogic carbon layup in the seatpost, based (Ritchey tells us) upon an arrangement developed for Pro Tour team bikes from Stevens, Canyon and Scott. One of the best things about carbon fibre for a designer is the ability to tweak stiffness depending on how you orientate the fibres in the layup. I don't know the details of what the Flexlogic layup is when it's at home, and you can't see any indication through the resin, but if I had to guess I'd say that there may be fewer fibres orientated vertically at the front and back of the seatpost. I'm just guessing, mind.

In parallel with this seatpost, I've been testing the Canyon VCLS2.0 post, which is a very different affair. The bump-absorption of the Canyon post is massively more noticeable than here, thanks to the leaf-spring arrangement. It is heavier, though, and even more expensive.

I had initially assumed that the top of the seatpost, where it thins signifiantly, was the part that gave the flex. In fact, this part is what allows the Flexlogic post to be used with three types of saddle mounting. It includes a clamp for standard saddle rails (round or oval), but you can also use it to hold Ritchey Vector Evo and Selle Italia MonoLink saddles. How many riders actually have those other types of saddle? Not that many that I know, but if you do (or if you're still trying to find your perfect perch), you'll certainly appreciate the, erm, flexibility.

This Ritchey seatpost is available in a range of sizes: 350x27.2, 400x27.2, 400x30.9 and 400x31.6. I tested it in a 27.2mm diameter, and I would expect a little less flex in the larger diameters. It has a 15mm setback and you can flip the clamp parts around at the back to gain an additional 10mm of fore-aft range.

I only used it with conventional saddles, and it did a good job of holding them firmly in place once everything was correctly torqued up. As a consequence of the fact that it can be used with different types of saddle, the attachment of a standard one is slightly more fiddly than it might be – there are four separate metal parts and two bolts, and I found it quite easy to drop one or other of these small pieces on the garage floor while fitting a saddle. Of course, unless you're a journo or a pro mechanic, you probably don't fit saddles or seatposts that frequently, so it's not a major concern.

If you use a seatpack under your saddle then you might want to check that it plays nicely with this seatpost. I found that seatpacks which strap onto the saddle rails tended to rub on the rearward nub of the head of this seatpost. Consequently, I swapped to a pack that clips onto the saddle (Fizik and Prologo make these, among others), which was fine.

At this elevated price point, refinements such as the scale on the rear of the Flexlogic post are expected. You've got to get pretty close to read what the numbers say here, mind – a larger font might have been an improvement.

I think a typical buyer for something like this would be someone who wants to make their bike a bit more comfy without adding too much weight. If you climb off your bike after a couple of hours and your bum is really sore, this would help, right? Well, yes, to some extent. My advice is that you should set out initially to find padded shorts and a saddle that suit you, as these will have a greater effect on riding comfort. Once you've done that, and perhaps looked at the largest tyres you can fit in your frame, this would be a logical next step.

We've reviewed a bunch of seatposts recently (see the link below), so how does Ritchey's offering measure up? If you're looking for a lightweight post that can add a little comfort to your bike, I'd suggest that this is a leading contender, provided that the price isn't an issue.

> Buyer's Guide: 6 of the best comfort-boosting seatposts

I specced this post on my bike for exactly those reasons, coupled with the fact that the upgrade cost in Rose's bike-configuring site at the time was somehow only £9 over the standard seatpost. Full price is £187, although it is available if you shop around for around £150. That is still quite a chunk of cash, so you may not want to dig that deep.

If weight-saving is your prime objective, we liked Reilly's excellent-value Vector post a lot, although that is an inline post. If your goal is primarily to add a bit of compliance for rougher surfaces, arguably the leading contender is the Canyon VCLS2.0 post. We'll have a review of that coming up soon.

Verdict

Low weight, moderate cush – a high end carbon post to make your best bike slightly more comfortable

The new Ritchey WCS Streem III handlebar has a tweaked design over the previous model to give it a more traditional shape. With plenty of angles going on and a wing section for comfort, it offers a large choice of hand positions and it manages to nail the whole stiffness versus comfort balance perfectly.

• Pros: Comfortable shape, impressive weight
• Cons: Limited round clamping area if you fit a lot of gadgets to your handlebar

The Streem III is a really usable bar shape, no matter what riding you do. The main changes to this new model over the Streem II is to the drops, the III's being much shallower and with a much more traditional curve than the anatomical shape of its predecessor.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The upper section still has the wing shape to it, which provides a large platform for you to rest your hands on rather than wrapping them around a truly round bar. It's a very comfortable shape and great if you spend a lot of your time on the tops tapping out the miles or climbing.

From the centre of the bar to the top of the drops, the Streem sweeps back by 4.5 degrees, which brings it a little closer to you compared with straight bars, creating a slightly more relaxed position without sacrificing performance riding on the hoods or in the drops.

Looking from the top, the drops also kick out a little with a two degree flare front to rear.

The central section of the bar is 100mm long, which does limit the amount of real estate for clamping on your gadgets once you take the stem into account. There is enough room to fit a light one side and, say, a computer mount on the other.

Although the matt finish and the overall feel of the bar gave me a few seconds of 'are they or aren't they carbon?', I soon found that it is made from 7050 aluminium alloy. Ritchey has gone for triple butting (three different wall thicknesses) to place stiffness where it is needed and flex elsewhere for some comfort. It works well, as this bar doesn't feel as though it flexes when really sprinting hard but when you're sat wide on the tops or hoods there is just enough movement to take out high-frequency road buzz.

It really feels like a lot of the expensive carbon fibre handlebars I've ridden in the past.

The Streem III is available in five widths, measured from the centre of one drop to the other. You can go for a 38cm, 40cm, 42cm, 44cm or 46cm, with each having a drop of 128mm and a reach of 73mm, so it's great for those with small hands.

There are plenty of alignment marks for the stem and it has a sandpaper-style effect there for grip and where your shifter hoods mount. It is also drilled underneath the right-hand drop to accommodate the wire coming from the new Shimano EW-RS910 Di2 junction box, which inserts into the bar like an end plug.

Overall, the finish and build quality is great, definitely worthy of Ritchey's top flight WCS branding. There are no rough edges anywhere and the channels underneath the tops are easily big enough to swallow both brake and gear cables.

At £94 it's pretty expensive for an alloy bar, but I'd happily make the investment for the overall quality and comfort offered by the Streem III.

> 9 ways to make your bike more comfortable

The weight is impressive too: this 42cm bar tipped the scales at 278g which is just 17g heavier than the £299.99 PRO Vibe Aero Carbon handlebar.

Overall, I think the WCS Streem III has a lot to offer with its carbon fibre-like ride, excellent stiffness where it's needed, and plenty of comfortable hand positions.

Verdict

Lightweight alloy handlebar that offers loads of hand positions and great stiffness

Ritchey's WCS C220 is the lightest stem in its range, pipping even the top-end carbon models on the scales. It hasn't sacrificed stiffness either, so you can have a little bit of everything performance-wise.

• Pros: Lightweight, excellent quality and finish
• Cons: Erm... nothing really

Ritchey has based the C220 stem on its top-level C260 model but without the faff of having to navigate the handlebar through it. To explain, that number after the 'C' refers to how much of the bar (diameter) is wrapped by the stem itself, so 260 degrees in the case of the C260, which means there is only 100 degrees for the clamp to deal with. With the C260 this means that to get the centre of the handlebar to line up with the stem you have to kind of feed it through from the curve of the bar where the hoods of your shifters would sit – a bit of a faff.

> Find your nearest dealer here

This C220 stem locates around 220 degrees of the bar, which allows you to get the bar into the clamp without issue; it's just a little bit more snug than using a standard stem, which splits the clamping diameter 180/180°.

It makes the bar easier to fit as it is kind of held in position while you locate the faceplate and bolts.

Ritchey says that by wrapping the main stem body more than 180 degrees around the bar, the bolt forces are aligned with the clamp so that the stem body 'embraces' the handlebar. This makes it less prone to damaging lightweight bars.

The C220 comes in a range of options not only in length but also angle. This 84D model has a +/-6 degree rise depending on which way up you fit it, and is available from 60mm to 130mm lengths in 10mm increments.

You can also get a 73D (+/-17°) and a 25D which offers a whopping +/-25 degrees of rise or fall.

Weight and build

Weight is pretty impressive at just 136g on the road.cc scales for this 100mm option, which makes it one of the lightest we've tested, even if that is 15g more than Ritchey claims for the 110mm stem.

Both the stem and faceplate are forged from 2014 aluminium alloy and are compatible with 31.8mm diameter handlebars and 1 1/8in fork steerer tubes.

> 9 ways to make your bike more comfortable

Performance-wise it's hard to gauge a stem's contribution in isolation, but I have ridden some that flex a bit when out of the saddle and the C220 certainly isn't one of those.

There is plenty of stiffness here, and swapping out a carbon fibre stem for this one I never noticed any difference to the ride quality, for better or worse.

Value and competition

When it comes to value, you can pick up a decent enough alloy stem for under 20 quid these days but what you are getting here for the C220's £85 price tag is the complete package.

It's part of Ritchey's WCS line-up, its top end World Championship Series, and it's quality throughout. The finish is impeccable, smart looking and hardwearing.

You've got that impressive weight, too, but Ritchey hasn't gone all-out to get it. I'm glad to see 4mm chromoly steel bolts being used throughout rather than going for something lighter like titanium. Yeah, you might save a couple of grams, but they can be a little fragile even when using a torque wrench.

As for competition, well, I've tested the PRO Vibe Di2 stem, which came in at 144g and £99.99, or if you want to go really light you could check out the Deda Supperleggero. Our 120mm version weighed in at 124g but it'll set you back £129.99.

On the whole, I think the WCS C220 does the job and looks the business, all at a decent price.

Verdict

A top-end, lightweight stem with plenty of stiffness for a good price

This new Ritchey Comp Ergomax handlebar is a great upgrade for your gravel or adventure bike, offering plenty of width at the drops thanks to a large flare for aiding stability when travelling across loose terrain. It's a decent weight, too, and all for not a bad price.

• Pros: Loads of hand positions, plenty of stiffness without being overly harsh
• Cons: Limited clamping space either side of the stem for lights and suchlike

We've seen quite a few of the latest gravel bikes coming with flared handlebars and I find it makes a lot of difference to the handling when you are really motoring across varying surfaces.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The Ergomax is available in four widths, the 42cm option we have here, plus 40cm, 44cm and 46cm. This is measured from centre to centre at the top of the drops, but the Ritcheys have a 12-degree drop flare top to bottom each side, plus the drops flare out at an angle of 3 degrees sideways, which increases their size (to 50.3cm on the 42cm) outer to outer at the bottom of the drops. You can see the full dimensions and shape here.

This gives you quite a wide stance which seems to make the steering more stable when the ground is moving around underneath you, while keeping the lively feel of a narrower bar when sat up on the hoods.

From the 31.8mm diameter clamping area there is a 10mm rise up to the tops, which gives you a slightly more relaxed, upright position; if you don't want to go any higher you could always whip out a 10mm spacer from beneath your stem – after all, fewer spacers means better stiffness.

The clamping part of the bar is only 80mm wide, and once you've taken into account the width of a stem that doesn't leave you much room for fitting light brackets or computers, which could be an issue.

The tops have a flat aero section to them which gives you a great platform to rest your hands on, and they also sweep back by 5 degrees, giving you shorter reach to the bar.

The drop shape is curved rather than having any flat sections, but the radii change continuously to create quite a shallow drop of 128mm and a reach of 73mm. This makes them more usable, even if you aren't that flexible to spend a lot of time crouched over.

Comfort-wise things are pretty good. You want a little bit of give for when you are rattling across bumping surfaces and that's what you get from the 6061 aluminium alloy tubing used here. It just takes the edge off but still feels plenty stiff enough when you're out of the saddle or riding along on the road.

With Shimano now offering a bar end plug control box for Di2, Ritchey has future-proofed this bar by drilling a hole in the bottom of the drop to allow the wires to come out and pass beneath your bar tape.

The Ergomax is a well made bar and a pretty decent weight too. This 42cm came in at 313g on our scales, which is 7g lighter than Ritchey claims.

> Customising your bike to maximise your performance

It costs £52, which is good value for money when taking into account the quality and everything else. A look around the internet shows that the Deda Gravel 100 bar is lighter than the Comp Ergomax – 260g claimed – but costs £94.99. That matches very well against Ritchey's lighter, more expensive WCS Ergomax, weighing 270g at £94. We tested the WCS Venturemax road bar a couple of years back, and that's now £89, while the Comp Venturemax is £47.

On the whole, I really like the Comp Ergomax. It offers a good all-round package for your gravel bike or any other where you want a bit of width added to the handlebar.

Verdict

Loads of hand positions and a quality piece of kit for your adventure bike

Tubeless wheelsets have become way more common recently, particularly since more tubeless tyre options arrived on the scene, and here are some of the very best that we've reviewed for under a grand.

A tubeless system is basically a clincher tyre inflated onto a rim with no inner tube. Instead of an inner tube holding the air pressure, an airtight chamber is created with a tubeless-specific tyre, developed with a special (commonly carbon) bead, and a compatible rim. 

Check out our guide to the best tubeless tyres 

The main advantage is the substantially reduced risk of puncturing if you use liquid sealant inside the tyre. This sloshes around inside and reacts with air if the tyre casing is punctured, and plugs the hole. It can seal most small holes caused by flint or thorns and while you might suffer a small drop in pressure, you can continue riding.

Find out more reasons why you should consider switching to tubeless

If you want to go tubeless you need the right wheels, and here are 10 of the best, some for rim brakes and some for discs.

Clicking on the heading of each wheelset will take you to a dealer.

AlexRims CXD4 700C Disc TL Ready Centerlock Road £339.99 

The CXD4 is an excellent mid-level alloy disc wheelset that's available in 6-bolt or Centerlock configurations. Weighing in at a very reasonable 1,580g, it's a chunk lighter than stock wheels you'll find on most bikes under about £2,000.

The rim is a tubeless-ready 23mm alloy extrusion, sleeve-jointed for extra strength. The rim shape is asymmetric to better balance the spoke forces, with the same rim being used front and rear. At the front the spoke holes are offset away from the disc side, and at the rear they're offset towards it, as the freehub moves the hub flange in more than the disc does.

Both front and rear are built up with 24 round stainless steel spokes in a two-cross pattern. The hubs have an alloy body and axle and sealed cartridge bearings.

We had these wheels set up with 30mm Schwalbe G-One Speed tyres for the duration of testing. Getting them to seal wasn't a problem and we had no issues with the tyres losing air more than normal.

On the road the wheels feel nice and stiff, with no obvious flex either from sprint efforts or heavy cornering. The bearings run smoothly, and whipping the cassette off showed that there's not very much notching on the alloy freehub body.

Read our review
Find an AlexRims dealer 

Fulcrum Racing 5 Disc £349.99 

The Racing 5 is a well-established wheelset, available in both disc and rim brake (£299.99) configurations. It is a decent choice for a first upgrade.

Within the Racing range, the 5 is the general-purpose road wheelset. They're a reasonable weight for the money – we weighed them at 1,640g compared to a claimed 1,610g – which makes them competitive with similar-priced wheels from Hunt and Kinesis, and usefully lighter than Mavic's Ksyrium Disc wheelset.

The rims are asymmetric, which Fulcrum claims "improves rim tension, balancing the forces from brakes and sprocket cassette". If you're after more aero benefits, the similar-priced Racing 4 has a deeper rim, while the Racing 7 is now targeted at all-road use, with a wider rim profile and a higher weight.

The Racing 5 has a 26mm deep rim, which is 21mm wide – wider than wheels were traditionally but not as wide as some. Fulcrum says that it'll take tyres between 25mm and 50mm, making it an option for cyclo-cross too, although it is marketed primarily as a road wheelset. 

If you want to run these wheels tubeless you'll need to buy the necessary valves and rim tape because they're not included, which is a bit mean. The Racing 5s should be used only with certain Schwalbe tyres, according to Fulcrum. We can't tell you to ignore that advice... but we did and things worked out just fine. 

The hubs are quality affairs, as befits a sub-brand of Campagnolo. They've got sealed bearings and Campagnolo's signature way of reaching them, via a collar with a tiny pinch bolt. They come with various adaptors to suit different axles, from 15mm thru-axle down to a standard QR, and they can be swapped pretty easily as they're just retained with an o-ring friction fit.

The Fulcrums were solidly built, reasonably stiff and generally easy to live with. A lot of disc brake bikes around the £1,000-2,000 bracket will come with relatively heavy wheels as stock, often around 2kg; you'll see a lot of entirely serviceable but quite weighty wheels such as Mavic Aksiums, own-brand hubs with Alex rims and so on. Switching to something lighter like this can save 400-500g; that won't transform the bike, but is enough that you'll notice the difference.

Read our review
Find a Fulcrum dealer 

Edco Optima Roches £400

Edco's Optima Roches are a tough set of tubeless-ready wheels that are built around Edco's own SuperG hubs. These hubs are guaranteed for a whopping eight years (the other components get a two-year guarantee), a strong hint at Edco's confidence in their durability. They use radial stainless ball bearings and are laced to the alloy rims with 20 Sapim Race double butted spokes on the front and 24 at the rear. You'll need Centerlock disc brake rotors for stopping.

That rear hub has Edco's own MultiSys cassette hub body, making it compatible with both Campagnolo and Shimano/SRAM cassettes. The hub body also has a hardened steel inlay to protect the aluminium body from being eaten by the sprockets. 

The rims are wider (24mm) than they are high (22mm), making them bang on the bigger tyres trend. Edco recommends using 25mm tyres. Although the rims are tubeless ready, we found that a bit of perseverance was needed to get them set up, 

The Optima Roches stayed perfectly true during testing, despite the fact that we loaded them up for touring over Edco's 110kg maximum weight limit.

These really are about as tough as they come, which is no mean feat for a pair of wheels that weigh 1,725g, have a low spoke count and spin up fast enough to enjoy sprints. They are stiff without rattling the fillings, making them perfect for any kind of riding that requires a fast wheel that will take a battering. Tubes and tyres come as part of the package, and the quick releases are really nice too! 

Read our review
Find an Edco dealer

Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST £539.00 

The Ksyrium Elite, Mavic's highly dependable all-rounder, became tubeless in 2018 with the French company's UST system, like much of the range. The wheels are lightweight and durable and are still great to ride whether you are racing or tackling the club run, with a little bit of future proofing. 

At 1,532g without tyres the Ksyrium Elite UST wheelset is light enough to be exciting on the climbs or under acceleration, and their stiffness certainly backs that up; you won't get any flex or brake rub here.

You get Yksion Pro UST tyres as part of the package, and they offer loads of grip. Mavic claims that its road UST tubeless system is different from other tubeless systems in that the wheel and tyre are designed together and there's tight control over production variances. Inflation was smooth and simple with the Yksions sitting snuggly against the rim with just the use of a standard track pump, and there were no leaks of sealant anywhere.

If you want a set of wheels to tackle a bit of everything, then the Ksyrium Elites are hard to fault. While you can get cheaper, this is a solid package that'll give you real peace of mind.

The disc version of this wheelset is priced £585.00.

Read our review
Find a Mavic dealer

Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset £569.00

Ritchey has managed to build a tough yet lightweight package with its Classic Zeta wheels and they look the part too with their highly polished silver finish. Whether on smooth tarmac, broken back lane or potholed byway, they roll quickly and aren't shy of taking a knock or two.

What you get here is a pair of 6061 aluminium alloy rims, Phantom Flange hubs connected by DT Competition j-bend spokes and an all-in weight of 1,491g.

The rims have an external width of around 22mm which makes them more suited to larger tyres like 28mm or even Ritchey's own 30mm-wide WCS Alpine JBs, which were used for a lot of the test miles.

Fitting tyres to them is simple: we tried a few brands out and none was a struggle or faff to fit.

Ritchey has specced these Zetas for road, cyclo-cross and light adventure use. Whacking a pothole is pretty much inevitable these days and we smashed through a few on the Ritcheys without issue; they still ran true. They also saw some pretty hard miles on various sizes of gravel, from the small stuff through to bigger, rockier sections. Again, not a single complaint.

Thanks to their low weight, the Zetas perform across the board. Acceleration and climbing feel great as the wheels are just so quick to spin up to speed, and once up there they roll extremely well.

They're comfortable, too, as the handbuilt setup leaves enough give in the spoke tension to keep the wheels stiff for those hard efforts without being an overly harsh ride.

Overall, the Ritcheys are a very good showcase for getting what you pay for, with a great all-round feel of quality, durability and performance. These igh-performance wheels that are just as at home on your race machine as they are on your gravel hack.

Read our review 
Find a Ritchey dealer

Vision TriMax 30 KB £652.00

Vision's TriMax 30 KB tubeless-ready wheels are built to last, look great and stay that way thanks to a clever surface treatment. Weight-weenies might find them a shade heavy (we weighed them at 1,570g), but that's far less important than durability and reliability.

They arrived straight and true, and the spoke tension was decent, helping them stay that way. They're laterally stiff enough that we couldn't get them to rub on the brakes, even with the pads positioned close to the rim. They're unaffected by sidewinds because they'

re only 30mm deep, enough to give them a slight aero advantage over old-school square rims, but not enough to affect handling when it's windy. 

Out on the road, the TriMax 30s spin up easily and roll well, and the lateral stiffness of the wide rims – the internal width is 19mm – helps them stay on line in corners. It also bigs up your tyres. Our 25mm tyres ended up more like 27mm across, so we could run a little less pressure for more grip and better cushioning.

Braking is smooth and very powerful thanks to the machined sidewalls and oxide coating which increases friction with the brake pads. This is especially noticeable in the wet.

These are great wheels on a number of fronts: looks, build quality, stiffness, braking, durability and general practicality. They're perhaps overkill if you're a 60kg racing snake, but for those who aren't exactly svelte, the extra beef is very welcome.

Read our review 
Find a Vision dealer 

DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut 21 OXiC £849.98 

These wheels feature a ceramic coated rim surface that provides reassuring braking performance in a range of conditions, making them ideal for year-round cycling in the UK.

We rode these wheels for several months in everything from glorious sunshine to freezing rain and everything in between, and they were excellent regardless of the weather.

Braking performance using the supplied brake blocks is very good in dry conditions and is similar to any good aluminium rim. The rims really start to make a case for themselves in rain, mud and grit-coated surfaces, the OXiC coating becoming a benefit with powerful, predictable, and consistent braking.

The other big benefit of a ceramic coating is a rim that is much more durable. Ceramic-coated rims should last for years.

The rims are laced with straight-pull DT aero comp spokes to DT's own hubs with star ratchet internals. They weigh just 1,500g – a little over the claimed 1,472g. Measuring 18mm internally and 22mm externally, they're not as wide as the widest rims currently available, but wider than traditional rims.

DT supplies the sealant and valves you need for running the wheels tubeless, and we found the setup easy. 

The hubs feature very wide flanges, intended to increase wheel stiffness, and spin on 240 internals. They are well proven and popular in many aftermarket hubs. The 36-tooth ratchet system in the rear hubs provides very swift engagement when you stamp on the pedals. 

These wheels are stiff and responsive, with no give or flex when putting the power down in a sprint or steep climb. The low weight puts many carbon wheels to shame and while they are pricey for an aluminium wheelset, they are a snip compared with most carbon wheels of comparable weight and performance.

For year-round racing, training and just riding, these are excellent wheels with highly impressive braking in all conditions. The appearance, build quality and attention to detail is first class, as is the durability.

Read our review 
Find a DT Swiss dealer 

Just Riding Along Gecko Carbon £850.00 

The Just Riding Along (JRA) Gecko Carbon wheelset is very impressive, designed to take on the constant knocks and vibrations the roughest gravel tracks can throw at them, while being so light (1,400g) that they won't hamper your performance on the road. It's also pretty amazing that they come in at well under a grand.

The Geckos are solid. We couldn't detect any feeling of flex on steep, short, sharp climbs, whether on the road or when scrabbling about on loose, large gravel.

The wheels took some big knocks during testing, and while sometimes the noise could be pretty scary, on inspection they had come away completely unscathed, remaining as true as they were out of the box.

The Geckos are built to order and the spoke tension is even throughout. They are comfortable as well, even 25mm tyres pumped up hard never giving a harsh ride.

The full carbon rims have an external width of 27mm and 21mm internal, meaning that tyres tend to size up a little bigger than their sidewall suggests.

JRA has specced Bitex hubs on the Geckos and they are a lovely piece of kit, spinning smoothly and freely.

Overall, the Geckos are excellent wheels for gravel use without being too overbuilt to stop them offering a great performance on the road.

Read our review 
Buy from Just Riding Along

BORG50C Carbon Clincher wheelset £910.00 

The BORG50C carbon clincher aero wheels are a sharply priced tubeless-ready option for going fast. Handling well in crosswinds and with an industry-leading lifetime warranty, for the money these are a serious contender for Best Starter Bling Hoops Deal Going.

When the wheels arrived at road.cc they were already shod with IRC's Formula Pro RBCC Tubeless tyres, valves and sealant – that's £910 all-inclusive. The full combo weighed in at 2,520g. Borg sells the BORG50C for £800 naked, which is a very good price for the rounded weight/performance/warranty package.

Malcolm Borg builds his wheels in Suffolk with great attention to detail. Borg promises to replace anything that's failed – rim, spoke or hub – due to a manufacturing defect for the entire life of the wheelset. If you crash them, Borg will repair for the cost of parts only – the labour's free.

Borg has gone for nice Miche Primato Syntesi hubs, with a micro-adjustment ring to take up any play. The rim measures 26.1mm at the aero bulge, and with the 25mm IRC Formula Pro tubeless measuring 23.9mm, there's a definite aero profile going on front to back.

We found it difficult to get some tubeless tyres onto the rim and you need to have a good compressor setup to hand.

The usual concern around 50mm rims is buffeting, but these wheels never got out of hand even when we rode them in strong (20mph+) sidewinds.

during the review period. My rim-braked test frame is a Velocity Selene, a fairly agile responder and therefore commensurately susceptible to external influences.

All in all, for £800 plus tyres of your choice, tubeless-ready and with a best-of-breed warranty and repair service, the BORG50C wheelset is a cracking choice and should be a serious contender for your cash.

Read our review 
Buy from The Cycle Clinic 

Hunt 30 Carbon Gravel Disc Wheelset £999

The 30 Carbon Gravel wheels use a disc brake-only rim design. They're built from unidirectional T24/30 carbon and are 30mm deep and notably lighter than most wide aluminium rims at a claimed 370g. Using carbon helps, obviously, but Hunt has also saved weight thanks to the absence of a brake track and bead hooks. 

At 26.6mm externally, and 21.3mm internally, these are wide rims, as befits their intended use, and Hunt says they're suitable for use with tyres from 25mm to 50mm, making them an option for a really broad range of riding.

A healthy 24-spokes at the front and 28 spokes at the rear, laced 2-cross, makes for a really strong, stiff build. Hunt gives a rider weight limit of 115kg for these wheels, and they've shrugged off everything we threw at them, including bridleways, towpath commuting, and touring with panniers on some pretty appalling roads. 

The 30 Carbon Gravel wheels are supplied taped and with tubeless valves included. Unlike the majority of road tubeless rims, there are no pronounced bead hooks, just small ridges to keep the tyre beads locked in position. Getting the tyre over the bead hooks is normally the fiddly part of inflating a tubeless tyre, but it's easy here with no bead hooks to get in the way. Using just a track pump, they were sealed within three pump strokes, and needed only a few more strokes to get them fully seated.

The hubs are based on those used in Hunt's 4season disc wheelset with uprated shielding and sealing on the EZO bearings to cope with off-road grot and the occasional jetwash. 

It's really hard to find fault with these wheels. Light, wide, rugged and dependable, with genuinely easy tubeless setup, they're exactly what you want from a gravel wheelset. Carbon rims and disc brakes is a great combination, too. If you're in the market for a posh set of wheels for your gravel bike, these are a great option. Hunt has set a benchmark with these superb wheels.

Read our review
Buy from Hunt 

Ritchey's new Outback is a steel frame/carbon fork gravel frameset that offers a stable and super-smooth ride. It lacks the mudguard and rack mounts required of a true all-rounder, but if you want something that sits at the sportier end of the market it's a slick offering.

• Pros: Smooth ride, stable
• Cons: Lack of mudguard and rack mounts will put off some

I've been riding the Outback over pretty much everything I can think of – fire road, muddy bridleways, chalky hardpack, gravel, tarmac in various states of repair, and even winding singletrack – and it has coped admirably with the lot.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

It's at its best when you can point it in a straight line and hammer over broken and bumpy roads and rolling terrain. Hit a hidden or unavoidable pothole at speed and it's easy to keep the Outback on track. Most times it'll just carry on with the minimum of fuss and no need for correction, and just occasionally you'll need to tap the handlebar back into line. What it won't do is dart off at a curious angle at the merest hint of irregularity, looking for any excuse to scare you witless. That means you can settle in and enjoy the ride.

You don't tend to notice smaller lumps and bumps too much. Of course, some chatter gets through to you in the saddle but the Outback is good at smoothing over high-frequency vibration. You're not shaken about like you are on some bikes, even if you're running quite high tyre pressures. That can make a big, big difference over a longer ride over rough roads when a harsher-feeling frameset can make you lose the love.

A long wheelbase means the Outback isn't the most dexterous bike through super-tight, super-slow turns – walking pace stuff – but it's happy to mix it up with the best of 'em over all other types of technical terrain. Head down slopes as steep as you dare, for example, and there's no judder from the carbon fork, and the rear tyre will keep biting on any ridiculously sharp off-road climbs you fancy tackling as long as you stay seated.

You couldn't describe the Outback as especially light, our XL model (built up with a Shimano Ultegra groupset and Ritchey WCS Zeta Disc wheels) coming in at 9.8kg (21.6lb). Ritchey claims a frame weight (including the axle and rear derailleur hanger) of 2.17kg (4.8lb). As we often say, though, you can get way too hung up on weight. I didn't actually put the bike on the scales until the end of the test period and I can't say it ever felt particularly heavy in use. It's certainly a long way from sluggish. I'd be far more interested in ride quality, especially on a bike that you're likely to ride on the dodgiest roads and tracks you can find, and that's where the Outback really scores.

The Outback doesn't feel like the stiffest bike out there either, especially if you've just jumped off a high-end carbon road machine with oversized everything. That's clearly not a valid comparison, though. This isn't a bike where converting every milliwatt into forward motion when you're bouncing around in a sprint finish is a particularly high priority. The bottom bracket area can stand up to a bit of rough treatment without undue flex, though, and the front end will get you where you want to go when you find yourself halfway through a sweeping bend at an optimistic speed. I'd say that the Outback offers a ride that's not too harsh and not too flexible for the sort of multi-surface rides it's likely to be used on.

Geometry

The Outback shares a lot of its DNA with Ritchey's Swiss Cross Disc cyclo-cross bike, but the geometry has been tweaked and tyre clearances have been increased. Let me tell you about that geometry. As mentioned, we have the XL frame here, the largest of the five sizes available. This has a 583mm effective top tube (569mm actual), a 550mm seat tube and a 180mm head tube. Both the seat tube and head tube angles are 73 degrees.

The stack on this size is 596mm and the reach is 401mm. The chainstays are 437mm on all of the Outback frames, the wheelbase on the XL model is pretty long at 1047mm and the bottom bracket drop is 70mm, considerably more than it is on the Swiss Cross.

All of that lot means you ride in a position that's quite aggressive by gravel/adventure bike standards (although not as aggressive as a typical road bike). Of course, you can use a big stack of spacers under the stem to keep the front end high, but the Outback is certainly a more sporty setup than many other bikes of this genre.

The frame is made in Taiwan from Ritchey Logic heat-treated, triple-butted steel tubing. You might think that's a good material for a gravel bike that could take the odd ding or two. It looks traditional in many ways – or at least traditional-ish. For a start, those tubes are skinny compared with those of most carbon and aluminium bikes, and you get a 68mm English threaded bottom bracket (I did say traditional-ish), which will please anyone who has suffered at the hands of a creaking pressed-in BB. It takes a slim 27.2mm diameter seatpost too.

All of the plumbing is external, the front derailleur cable and rear brake hose heading south along the underside of the down tube and the rear derailleur cable taking a route along the top of the top tube and then down the seatstay. The post-mount disc brake is fixed between the chainstay and the seatstay.

Outback up front

Ritchey's Gravel fork is full-carbon with a straight 1 1/8in steerer. Like the frame, it uses a 12mm thru-axle to hold the wheel in place and has clearance for tyres up to 40mm wide. That might depend a little on the rim and tyre manufacturer, but we had plenty of space around Ritchey's own WCS Zeta Disc wheels and semi-slick Speedmax 700 x 40 tyres. A lot of brands are offering a little more clearance than that these days, especially if they're pitching their bike as more of an all-rounder.

Speaking of that, the lack of mudguard and rack eyelets might raise a few eyebrows, especially among those hoping to use the Outback for a bit of everything, including commuting in typical UK conditions (yes, it's all about us!).

We asked Ritchey and were told they'd been omitted because the bike is designed to be sporty and to work with frame bags and a light load. Fair enough. It also allows Ritchey to use a slightly lighter tubeset than would otherwise be needed. Ritchey already offers the Ascent, which has mudguard and rack braze-ons and can be run with either 700C or 650B wheels and flat or drop handlebars. So, there you go: that's the reasoning.

As mentioned, the Outback is available as a frameset only (frame, WCS full-carbon fork, and WCS headset) for £1,299, so you can build it up however you like, or have your caring, sharing local bike shop do it for you.

As well as the Shimano Ultegra mechanical groupset, Ritchey WCS Zeta Disc wheels and Ritchey Speedmax tyres already mentioned, our test bike came with a Ritchey WCS handlebar, stem and seatpost and saddle. I won't go into depth on the components because they're not part of the package, but it all worked well. I was very happy with a 50/34-tooth chainset and an 11-32 cassette for the type of riding I like to do although you could spec a cyclo-cross chainset if you preferred or go for a 1x system with just a single chainring. Your shout.

One thing I will say is that although tyre selection is important to any bike it is absolutely crucial to a bike like this. The new tubeless-ready 40mm version of the Ritchey Speedmax has a low-profile tread down the centre with some knobbly edges that provide traction through the corners. Although it can get a little overwhelmed in really muddy conditions, it's an excellent option for gripping hard and rolling fast on chalk, gravel and anything else that's closer to firm than gloopy.

Good value?

You can get something like a Genesis Croix de Fer frameset for £499.99. That's a steel adventure bike that scores very highly for value. The four-season Mason Resolution frameset, which uses Columbus steel tubing, is £1,495. The Outback sits between those two in terms of price. You certainly don't need to spend £1,299 to get a made-in-Taiwan steel frame, but this is a very good one.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best gravel and adventure bikes

The slim, steel-framed Outback is about as far away from being a 'me-too' gravel bike as you could wish to get. The lack of mudguard and rack mounts might be an issue for some, but if you're happy without and you're after a gravel/adventure bike that's sporty, stable and above all smooth, this would be a very good choice.

Verdict

Steel-framed gravel/adventure bike that offers a smooth ride and plenty of stability

A change of pedals can lop a chunk of weight off your bike and also give you a chance to switch to pedals that work better in other ways such as providing a broader platform for your shoes or user-friendly double-sided mechanism.

In the selection of lightweight, high-end pedals below we’ve picked pedals designed to save weight but that also improve over regular or less expensive designs in other ways.

For example, Look’s latest Keo Blade pedals have a very large steel contact plate, which in theory makes the cleat — and therefore the shoe — steadier on the pedal.

The Hairsine ratios for these pedals are based on Shimano’s 330g R540 pedals, except for the Ritcheys which we’ve compared with Shimano’s 374g M520s.

>>Read more: Buyer's Guide — The best clipless pedals

Ritchey WCS Micro — £93.05

Weight: 208g Hairsine ratio: 1.34

The Ritchey WCS Micro Road Pedals are lightweight, sleek pedals for SPD-cleat users. At 208g (plus cleats), they’re are at the lighter end of heavy; they’re almost certainly the lightest option if you want to use shoes you can easily walk in.

Once clicked in they feel just as good as any other high-end SPD-style pedal, with a decent amount of float, no fore-aft slop and clean entry/exit even with grime underfoot. Being single-sided you have to look a bit, and without the SPD-SL's large rear end they don't hang ready to clip into.

We didn't find flipping them over to engage to be any hassle, the compactness meaning they didn't want to spin all the way over under their own gravity. Double-sided SPDs might be a boon off-road where you are clipping in-out frequently, but for even moderately-experienced road users the single-sidedness of the Ritcheys shouldn't be an issue.

The Pro version we reviewed is no longer available, but the WCS model is lighter and has recently had a bearing and axle upgrade to prolong its service life.

Read our review of the Ritchey Micro V4
Find a Ritchey dealer

Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedals — £149.99

Weight: 208g Hairsine ratio: 0.81

Those who love Speedplays rave about the low weight, adjustability, and shallow stack. But it's undeniable they need more looking after than most pedals, the large cleat is awkward to walk in (the new aero cleat is a big improvement on the original naked cleat though) and they're susceptible to clogging from even the smallest amount of dirt.

But if you have knees that are in any way fragile, or you want pedals that are incredibly easy to enter and release but fit stiff-soled road racing shoes, their free float and double-sided design make Speedplays well worth considering.

Read our review of the Speedplay Zero Stainless Pedals
Find a Speedplay dealer

Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Carbon SPD-SL — £147.95

Weight: 228g Hairsine ratio: 0.69

Shimano's top-level Dura-Ace R9100 pedals offer loads of security and stability and they're a few grams lighter than the previous version, although still not quite as light as some of their biggest rivals.

The pedals feature an injection-moulded carbon composite body with three small stainless steel plates across the centre to provide protection from wear. These plates are moulded in and aren't replaceable (the screwed-on plate of the previous generation Dura-Ace R9000 pedal wasn't replaceable either).

The pedal platform is 66mm wide – a little wider than previously – and provides plenty of stability. That broad platform is one of the best things about these pedals, and is especially welcome when you're riding out of the saddle.

Read our review of the Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Carbon SPD-SL

Xpedo Thrust XRF08CT — £178.03

Weight: 184g Hairsine ratio: 0.82

Despite their conventional steel springs, these carbon-bodied Look Keo clones from the upmarket arm of Taiwanese pedal giant Wellgo are very light, thanks to their pared-down carbon fibre bodies and titanium axles.

Out on the road these provide you with a whole lot of stability. That wide pedal body gives you a solid platform underneath your foot for putting down the power, with no rocking from side to side. The mechanism hangs on to your cleat securely, and if you wind up the tension there’s virtually no chance of your foot disconnecting unexpectedly.

Read our review of the Xpedo Thrust XRF08CT

Look Keo Blade Carbon Ti Pedals — £224.99

Weight: 180g Hairsine ratio: 0.67

This is the lightest incarnation of Look’s Keo pedals, and uses a weight-saving carbon fibre leaf spring to provide the retention force in place of the usual steel coil.

We like the less expensive Keo Blade and these have even more bells and whistles, including a very large steel contact plate for stability (700mm² rather than the Max’s 400mm²) and titanium axle.

The latest versions of the Keo Blade Carbon and Keo Blade Carbon Ti have interchangeable leaf springs; they come set up with 12Nm springs, but there's a 16Nm spring in the box, and a special tool to help make the job easy. You can also buy a 20Nm spring, but Look warns that you shouldn’t come crying to them if you crash because you can’t get out of the 20Nm version.

Read our review of the Look Keo Blade Carbon Pedals

Time Xpresso 15 — £304.99

Weight: 140g Hairsine ratio: 0.62

The Time Xpresso 15 pedals are extremely light and clipping in/twisting out could hardly be easier. The downside is the price, and the cleats wear noticeably faster than those of other brands.

At just 140g for the pair, they're phenomenally light thanks to carbon bodies, titanium axles, aluminium top plates and ceramic bearings. Clipping in is very easy thanks to a spring mechanism that stays open after you click out.

Read our review of the Time Xpresso 15
Find a Time dealer

Speedplay Zero Titanium Nanogram — £539.99

Weight: 120g Hairsine ratio: 0.39

At just 120g/pair these race-day-only pedals are Speedplay's demonstration that the Zero design can be made extraordinarily light. Speedplay has often displayed superlight bikes at trade shows; these pedals help make bikes like those even lighter.

The low weight is achieved by the use of every lightweight material you can think of: carbon-reinforced thermoplastic bodies; ceramic bearings; titanium axles; titanium bolts; and aluminium top plates. The cleats have been lightened too with carbon fiber replacing the plastic and aluminium fasteners instead of steel. They're bonkers expensive, but you have to admire the fanaticism.

Find a Speedplay dealer

>> Read more: All road.cc pedal reviews

Time doesn't stand still in the cycling world. The 25th anniversary Ritchey Swiss Cross might be showing its age in appearance, but when it comes to riding the performance is first class, with a truly silky smooth quality and good handling. It's still a cyclo-cross race bike at heart, but this updated version with improved clearance for 40mm tyres does open it up to more adventurous riding, though it doesn't offer the versatility we're rapidly coming to expect from modern gravel and adventure bikes.

• Pros: Smooth, fast, comfortable, splendid looks, heritage and history
• Cons: For adventuring – no extra mounts for bottles and mudguards and limited tyre clearance

> Find your nearest dealer here

Ride and handling

Smooth. Smooth. Smooth. That is the immediate and lasting takeaway from riding the Swiss Cross. It's one of the nicest steel bikes I've ridden and is a good reminder that steel is still a valid choice in the face of more modern material choices.

We all know steel offers a smooth ride quality, of course, it's been drilled into us for decades, but there's importance not just in the tube selection but in how the tubes are joined, and all the small details that clearly mark the Ritchey as being smoother than other steel bikes I've tested.

The Swiss Cross was born for the highest level of cyclo-cross race 25 years ago, but it would never be used at the same level today. (Though it would be fascinating to see someone like Mathieu van der Poel swap his carbon Canyon for the Swiss Cross for one round of a CX race. I'm sure he'd still win!)

At my level, many many rungs below the Dutch wonder kid, the Swiss Cross is fast. Not the sort of scintillating turn of speed you expect from a super-stiff carbon race bike, but it gets a real shift on when you get the SRAM cranks spinning. The extra weight is not as apparent on the trail as it is on paper – it's only when you sling it over your shoulder that you notice it – through the turns and down the straights the Ritchey blasts along very nicely indeed. It's not going to hold you back that's for certain.

The increased tyre clearance of this latest model widens the appeal of the Swiss Cross away from the lactic acid hell of cyclo-cross racing to wide open gravel adventures and bridleway bashing, something I do a lot of these days. It's incredible how much these bikes have expanded my horizons to the miles of forgotten woodland trails, byways and paths in and around the Cotswolds.

The wonderful smoothness is impressive, whether it's a rough old country lane with grass growing down the middle or a rutted dirt track along the edge of a farmer's field. With the fast-rolling WCS Speedmax tyres a good match for the dry and dusty conditions during the test period, the Ritchey was a good partner for some long distance roads with a higher percentage of off-road tracks than tarmac roads.

My fit and position felt good on the bike and the changes to the geometry, particularly the longer reach, lower bottom bracket and long 437mm chainstays, ensure a good level of surefootedness when bouncing along dried-out riverbeds or tackling high-speed descents littered with obstacles, some stationary (rocks and roots) and others moving (pheasants and squirrels!).

It's not a super-nimble bike that gets all your synapses firing when the turns are coming thick and fast. It's not as razor-sharp as some modern carbon cyclo-cross race bikes, but it can keep up with your demands pretty well, with good steering responses. It also doesn't feel at all hamstrung by the skinny non-tapered head tube, despite what its appearance might suggest.

Frame details

The frame is beautifully constructed from Ritchey's own Logic triple butted steel tubing, with the neatest attention to detail I think I've ever seen, and smooth brazing and TIG welding. Everything is external, from the bottom bracket to the cable and brake hose routing, and the traditional seat clamp at the top of the seat stays.

Nicely matching the skinny steel tubes is a non-tapered 1 1/8in steerer tube with a full carbon fibre fork. It perhaps looks out of place against the oversized and tapered head tubes we're so used to seeing on carbon and aluminium bikes, but it matches the frame well with elegant proportions.

The Swiss Cross was previously available with disc brakes, but it's been updated with 12mm thru-axles front and rear and flat mount callipers rather than the quick release and post mount of the old bike. To accommodate the disc brakes there's a new carbon fork and out back a lovely forged dropout to integrate the thru-axle and flat mount interface. You can fit a 140mm rotor at the back, and 140 or 160mm up front.

While it was carrying out the updates to the Swiss Cross, Ritchey also gave the geometry a slight revision. Most of the numbers are carried over, like the 72-degree head angle, but the chainstays are longer to make space for the wider tyres, the reach is now longer, the stack lower, and the bottom bracket lower, all changes that contribute to good stability. My fit and position felt good on the bike and I didn't need to make any changes.

There are six sizes to choose from: XS to XXL, with the smaller sizes getting more sloping top tubes for better standover for shorter riders.

While the wider tyre clearance certainly helps to broaden the Swiss Cross's appeal to cyclists not only interested in cyclo-cross racing but more likely leisure rides and gravel exploring, it's not without its drawbacks compared with more modern and versatile bikes in this category. There are only two bottle cage mounts and no mudguard eyelets, so it's clip-on 'guards if you want to ride it through the winter or use it for commuting or touring.

And yes, the 40mm tyre clearance is appreciated, this being the sweet spot for most UK gravel riding terrain, but in my opinion the space around the tyres, particularly at the fork, is extremely tight.

There's little room for mud and debris to clear and this will be a bigger problem in winter when mud is omnipresent, and you'll likely have to go down to a narrow knobbly tyre to get the traction and clearance you really need.

Equipment

The frame and fork cost £1,259 so it's up to you to build the bike up yourself. Ritchey kindly built us a bike so we could review the frameset and gave us a chance to ride some new Ritchey components, from the wheels to the handlebar.

The build on this test bike centred around a SRAM Rival 1 groupset, something we're well used to here at road.cc. It provides plenty of range for racing and adventure riding, you can easily swap the chainrings to customise it for your requirements, and the hydraulic brakes work a dream. The frame is 2x compatible too, and there are cable stoppers for adding a mechanically operated front mech on the down tube.

Moving on to the rest of the kit and it's all about the Ritchey branded parts. Let's start with the Zeta Comp Disc wheels because they are brand new.

They're a new value-conscious wheelset priced at £260 but don't skimp on details, using Ritchey's previous generation WCS hub along with new aluminium tubeless-ready rims. The rims use an Off Center Rim (OCR) to balance spoke tension for a stronger and stiffer wheel, and have a 19.5mm internal rim width.

The hubs are forged aluminium with sealed bearings, two in the front and four in the back, and are laced together with 24 DT Swiss spokes and brass nipples. They weigh a claimed 1,750g for a set, which is what you expect at this sort of price. They're also made by hand.

All finishing kit is Ritchey WCS equipment including a brand new Butano Bar. It's 'a homage to the early days of off-road and mixed terrain riding' and combines a 118mm shallow drop with a 73mm reach, a 12-degree flare in the drops and a 4-degree back sweep on the tops. It's made from 7005 aluminium and weighs a claimed 275g for a 42cm.

It's a very comfortable handlebar, with the sweep providing a nice reach to tops and the slightly flared drops giving a bit of added wrist clearance as well as improving control on loose terrain.

A Ritchey WCS aluminium stem, carbon seatpost and comfortably shaped saddle complete the build for an all-up weight of 9.8kg for the size large test bike.

Rivals

If you're in the market for a cyclo-cross bike you are spoilt for choice, but the selection narrows considerably if you want a steel frame. Look through the road.cc review archive and it's mostly carbon fibre and aluminium options, but there is the Light Blue Robinson, now £1,699 for the SRAM 1x build, and for less racy ambitions the Surly Straggler could be an option, at £650 for the frameset (we tested one back in 2014).

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best cyclo-cross bikes

Given that the tyre clearance edges the Swiss Cross into the category of adventure and gravel bikes there is more choice here, but because the Ritchey doesn't have the same wide versatility, it makes direct comparison a little difficult.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best gravel & adventure bikes

Sticking with steel, one obvious rival is the Fairlight Cycles Secan, which features a steel frame with much wider tyre clearance and more versatility, from extra bottle mounts to mudguard and rack eyelets. It's £1,099 for the frameset. Another choice could be the Condor Gravel Stainless, a high-quality steel frameset with clearance for 40mm tyres – but it'll set you back £3,599.99 for the frameset.

Even Ritchey's own Outback, a more laid back version of the Swiss Cross, doesn't boast the sort of versatility that might be expected of a modern adventure bike.

Conclusion

I love the Ritchey Swiss Cross for its heritage and sublime ride, and traditional timeless aesthetic, and the modernising changes will be appreciated by those who want to do more than just race around a muddy field on a Sunday afternoon. But as lovely as it is, unless you're a big Ritchey or steel frame fan, it's hard to see why you would choose this bike over racier CX bikes or more versatile gravel bikes.

Verdict

Silky smooth steel cyclo-cross bike but not without its limitations

Ritchey's WCS Chicane stem is aimed purely at the road market, focusing on stiffness and a smooth finish, as we all know how important those marginal gains are, right? It does the job, looks cool and for the level of quality, I'd say it's fairly priced too.

• Pros: Clean looks, excellent stiffness levels
• Cons: You can't adjust your bar height by adding spacers above the stem

While not as aggressive looking as some of the stems you tend to see in the pro peloton, the Chicane is very close with its 10-degree angle giving you a slightly less upright position than most stems on the market.

> Find your nearest dealer here

You don't necessarily need to have the front end slammed like a pro, but you are going to have to cut your steerer tube to your upper limit because the magnetic cap design means there isn't any room for spacers on top. Most of us don't fettle with our position too much, so it shouldn't be an issue.

The main thing you'll notice is the lack of visible bolts on the Chicane. The stem is clamped onto the steerer by way of an expanding wedge which is tightened from the inside, working alongside the specially designed headset adjustment plate. Both fit together seamlessly and keep everything secure; once fitted I had no need to touch the setup.

The top cap has a strong magnet fitted to its base and you have no need to worry about it jettisoning off, even when riding on rough country lanes.

At the front the face plate is hinged and clamps around the handlebar, fastened in place with two rear-facing bolts. It's a bit more of a faff to fit compared with a front loader but, again, once you've set it up there should be no need to move things.

The whole thing is made from 2014 grade aluminium alloy, and Ritchey says that it is the second stiffest in its line-up, sitting just below the £250 Superlogic C260. It's stiffer than the Ritchey WCS C220 that it replaced on my bike apparently, but I can't say that I noticed.

The Chicane is about 65g heavier, too, but unless you are a weight weenie it doesn't really matter.

Stems are probably the one component that have the least bearing on a how a bike rides or feels, so there is little to say really about the overall performance of the Chicane other than it is stiff enough for even the most full-on of sprints, and it holds both the handlebar and steerer without issue.

> 9 ways to make your bike more comfortable

> Getting a bike fit

Is it worth its £97 suggested retail price?

Well, comparing it to other similar stems on the market it's not bad value, plus I love the way it looks. The quality of the paint is top notch and pretty scuff-resistant so it'll stay looking good.

The Pro Vibe stem has similar wind-cheating properties to its face plate and that'll set you back a similar £99.99.

ITM's X-One uses similar thinking but in carbon for £129, but it requires the matching bar and you have to feed the bar through the stem like an old-school quill model.

Overall, I like the way the Ritchey WCS Chicane looks and works, and while you can get a decent alloy stem for around half the price, the Ritchey shows some clever design and thinking.

Verdict

A great design and plenty stiff enough for the racers among you

The handlebar is one of your key contact points with your bike so it's important that you have the right one. Swapping your bar can make a huge difference to the way your bike feels – not just to your hands but to your whole upper body because it has a big influence on your riding position – and also gives you the opportunity to drop a little weight.

Here we're going to explain the key variables you need to consider when choosing a new bar and show you some of the best – for both road and gravel riding – at prices from under 50 quid to well over £400.

Width

Width is usually measured between the two ends of the bar (but see Flare, below). Beware, though, that some brands – such as FSA – measure between the centre of the ends while others – such as Deda – measure from the outside of one end to the outside of the other.

Drop handlebar widths usually increase in 2cm/20mm increments.

Broad shouldered riders will get more stability and breathing capacity from wider bars, but go too wide and you could end up with aches in you neck and shoulders.

A rule of thumb is to match your handlebar width to your shoulder width, but we'd advise a professional bike fit to make sure you get it right.

Reach

This is the horizontal distance that the handlebar extends forwards from the stem clamp area. A longer reach pulls you further forward.

Ritchey's WCS Streem handlebar has a reach of 73mm across all sizes, for example, while the majority of FSA handlebars have an 80mm reach.

How to choose the right stem length

Drop

Drop is the vertical distance from the stem clamp area to the end of the bar. FSA's K-Force New Ergo handlebar, for instance, has a drop of 150mm while the K-Force Compact has a 125mm drop.

Compact handlebars have become common over recent years. Some people use a compact bar as a means of avoiding an extreme riding position that's hard on their back and neck when they move from the hoods to the drops.

Flip the thinking, though, and some racers use a compact bar to ensure they don't come too far out of their most aero position when they shift from the drops to the hoods.

Flare

Flare is the amount that the drop section of the handlebar slopes outwards from the vertical, measured in degrees.

Most road handlebars have just a small flare or none at all. On the other hand, gravel and adventure handlebars have a large flare to provide extra stability and control when you're using the drops. The Pro Discover Medium handlebar that we reviewed, for instance, has a 12° flare.

In case like this the brand will often quote the handlebar width as the distance between the shifter clamping points (measured centre-to-centre) rather than the distance between the ends of the bar.

Bend

Constant-curved drops are traditional but many brands offer different types of bends that are designed to be more comfortable.

The Genetic Drove (above), for example, is an anatomic shape with a tight radius at the top of the bend, a flatter section where your hand can rest just behind the lever, and a gentle curve towards the end.

Tops

The tops of most handlebars are circular in cross section but some are shaped for comfort or aerodynamics.

Ritchey, for instance, says that the tops of its Comp Ergomax gravel/adventure handlebar (above) are ovalised for comfort – your weight is distributed over a larger area so pressure is reduced – while the Prime Primavera carbon handlebar (below) has flattened tops that are designed to reduce frontal area and drag.

Bear in mind that it can be difficult to fit some lights, computer mounts and so on to the non-round sections of bars, although it's usually possible right next to the clamping area.

Sweep – tops

The tops of most handlebars head out at right angles to the stem but others sweep forwards or backwards. The Vision Metron 5D (below) has a 10° forward bend, for instance. Vision says that this results in "a more ergonomic climbing position and easier breathing".

In contrast, the tops of the Ritchey Comp Ergomax handlebar sweep 5° backwards. Ritchey says that this, combined with the ovalised tops, more evenly distributes the weight of the rider's hands and wrists and puts them in a more natural position.

Rise

The tops of most drop bars sit level with the stem clamp but riser drop bars do exist. The bars slope upwards on either side of the stem clamp area before levelling out.

Most bars of this type are designed to increase the height of the front end for gravel use, doing a similar job to a taller head tube, a higher rise stem, or a stack of headset spacers. The Genetic Driser–16 handlebar that we reviewed, for instance, has a 20mm rise to provide a more upright riding position.

Specialized's S-Works Aerofly Carbon Handlebar isn't designed for gravel riding, though. Specialized says that "a 25mm rise [will] allow you to achieve a more powerful position, or lower you stem stack to become more slippery in the wind".

Outward bend

The outward bend, or outsweep, is the degree to which the ends of the bar are angled relative to a line going down the centre of the stem. Most Pro bars, for example, have no outward bend, the ends of the bar pointing directly backwards. Zipp's SL-70 Aero has an outward bend of 4°, the same as most FSA bars.

Cable routing​

Brake cables/hoses and gear cables are usually positioned on the outside of the handlebar, underneath the tape. Some bars, like the Easton EC70 SL Di2 (above) we reviewed, have recessed channels to accept them.

Other handlebars allow cables and wires to run internally. The Vision Metron 5D handlebar (above), for instance, has holes in the tops where cables/wires can enter and exit.

Internal cable routing does make swapping to a new handlebar more complicated.

Material

Handlebars are almost always made of either an aluminium alloy or carbon-fibre. Carbon is lightweight and can be shaped more easily into aerodynamic or ergonomic profiles, but many racers still prefer aluminium for its ability to withstand the odd crash or drop. It's also more obvious when an aluminium bar has failed following an accident.

Clip compatibility

You can't fix clip-on tribars to all drop handlebars – some are the wrong shape and others simply aren't designed to handle the forces. It's always best to check the manufacturer's specs before fitting any.

Diameter

The vast majority of drop handlebars on modern bikes have a 31.8mm clamping area diameter, but when buying a new bar always double-check that you're replacing like with like.

8 great drop handlebars

Genetic Driser-16 — £39.99

Weight: 337g

The Genetic Driser-16 bar is a good choice for long rides off-road, where the flared drops give control and the wide tops offer plenty of comfort for your hands.

This bar offers a 16° flare of the drops, plus a 20mm rise to the tops. This rise will come in handy for those looking for a more upright position for long rides on or off-road without getting a new stem or – for anyone who has maxed out their steerer tube – a new fork.

The tops are 'semi-aero palm friendly' as Genetic puts it, meaning even extra-large hands get plenty of grip with just a single layer of bar tape. Cable-run indentations on the underside of the tops help to guide and minimise the feel through the bar tape.

The flare makes for confident handling at speed through the rough stuff. The end of the drop section is straight for a palm's width and immediately above that is a pistol grip for all-out efforts where you need access to the shifters and brakes.

Value is pretty darn good when you compare it with what else is available – especially given that if you need to raise your bar you don't need to fork out for a new stem.

All in all, the Genetic Driser-16 is a cracking handlebar for more adventurous riding, and with the 20mm rise and wide tops it may well suit you for less-rigorous pursuits as well.

Read our Genetic Driser-16 review

Ritchey Comp ErgoMax — £39.95

Weight: 313g

This is a great upgrade for a gravel or adventure bike, offering plenty of width at the drops thanks to a large flare for aiding stability when travelling across loose terrain. It's a decent weight, too, and all for a good price.

The Ergomax is available in four widths from 40cm to 46cm, measured centre-to-centre at the top of the drops, but there's a 12° flare on each side, plus the drops have an outward bend of 3° sideways, which increases the distance between the ends of the drops (to 50.3cm on the 42cm bar, measured outer to outer). This wide stance gives you extra control over rougher terrain.

There is a 10mm rise from the clamping area to the tops, which gives you a slightly more relaxed, upright riding position; if you don't want to go any higher you could always whip out a 10mm spacer from beneath your stem.

The clamping part of the bar is only 80mm wide which could be an issue if you want space for fitting light brackets or computers.

The tops have a flat aero section which gives you a great platform for your hands, and they also sweep back by 5°, giving you shorter reach to the drops.

Comfort-wise things are pretty good. You want a little bit of give for when you are rattling across bumping surfaces and that's what you get from the 6061 aluminium alloy tubing. It just takes the edge off but still feels plenty stiff enough when you're out of the saddle.

Read our Ritchey Comp ErgoMax review

Profile Design DRV/Aeroa Drop Bar 120 — £59.49

Weight: 338g

The Profile Design DRV AEROa Drop Bar doesn't just go with shoulder width to define what size you need, its 'DRiVe' design also incorporates hand breadth. It works – very well.

Most handlebars come with one drop and reach figure across the range of widths, but Profile Design does things differently. All you need to do is measure the width of your palm just below your fingers and the Profile Design website tells you which handlebar drop/reach will work best for you, and then you choose your preferred width.

The shape is brilliant. TheAEROa's flattened aero tops offer plenty of material to rest your hands on and the cables/hoses are routed internally. It's pretty simple to set up as Profile Design has created elongated holes large enough to get the outer housing through without too much of a squeeze. If you are using a Shimano Di2 junction box which plugs into the bar end, there are also holes for guiding the wire through.

The AEROa is very stiff and has a round-section central area that's 100mm in length so there's plenty of space for your gadgets. Its pretty good value for a high-quality 6061-T6 aluminium alloy handlebar.

Read our review of the Profile Design DRV/Aeroa Drop Bar

Easton EA70 AX — £69.99

Weight: 289g

Part of Easton's new range of gravel and adventure components, the aluminium alloy EA70 AX has a wide flare at the drops for stability and a shallow drop that makes it great for blasting over the rubble.

The EA70 AX flares out by 16°, which increases the overall width from the tops to the drops by 68mm across the 40, 42, 44 and 46cm options. This gives you a wider stance when descending on rough terrain, making for more composed steering and a better feeling of control.

You might notice that the bar's stiffness is compromised a little when you're really hauling on it during a short, sharp climb, but not much, and the plus side is that it's not so rigid that it batters your wrists on long gravel rides.

Reviewer Stu's only real criticism was that the grooved channels for fitting the cables underneath the tape were quite shallow.

Overall, the Easton EA70 AX is a great shape for use on the gravel or road, it looks the business, and comes in at a decent weight for the money.

Read our review of the Easton EA70 AX handlebar

Deda Gravel100 RHM Bar — £69.95

Weight: 257g

Deda has taken one of its top end alloy road bars and given it a tweak to suit the challenges of gravel. It offers an excellent ride, with a nice flare from top to bottom giving extra control and the large centre section providing plenty of room to attach your gadgets.

The upper part of the bar has a slightly flattened aero shape, which works really well on the gravel where you can often find yourself tapping out the miles with your hands on the tops. The slightly wider shape than a standard round bar gives you a bit more surface area, allowing a more relaxed grip, so you can let the bike float about a little more beneath you when on the rough stuff.

Up at the hoods the widths are standard road size options, 40cm to 46cm outside to outside, but the 12° flare each side kicks the bottom width out by an extra 60mm for each size.

The bar is made from triple-butted 7075 aluminium alloy and offers plenty of stiffness for sprinting or pulling on the bar when climbing, with just a small amount of flex to help take out road buzz.

There are cheaper options out there but the Deda Gravel100 delivers a very good ride quality, a great shape and good looks.

Read our Deda Gravel100 RHM review

Prime Primavera Carbon — £144.99 - £149.99

Weight: 238g

Prime's Primavera Carbon handlebar offers a great aero upgrade for users of both mechanical and electronic shifting. Setting it up is simple and the feel on the road is very comfortable. It looks the business and costs a lot less than some rivals.

The Primavera features some subtle shapes that might go unnoticed thanks to the flat aero tops. The curved section of the drop is shaped like an egg with the leading edge slightly narrower than the trailing edge. It results in the drop feeling thin in your hand but it's still comfortable.

Setting up the internal routing is straightforward thanks to large entry and exit holes. With a hole at the back of the stem clamp area, it offers users of electronic shifting the option of where to mount the junction A box. The bar is compatible with Shimano's Bar End Junction A box which makes changing and gear adjustments easy. The stem clamp area is wide, giving you enough space to mount a computer and a light.

Out on the road and there's a lack of road buzz. It's a weird sensation, similar to running wide, supple tyres at very low pressures. It's only on the really bad surfaces that anything gets through. Price is also an area where the Primavera does well.

Read our review of the Prime Primavera Carbon

Pro PLT Carbon — ~£105

Weight: 235g

PRO's PLT Carbon Handlebar offers good stiffness and excellent comfort and is reasonably lightweight, at a price that is lower than most other carbon-fibre options. The compact drop offers a powerful sprinting position and the round tops with internal cable routing are a super-comfy place to spend time on the climbs and flats.

This bar is constructed using UD T700 carbon, with a 130mm drop and a comfortable 80mm reach. The drops flare out by 2°, giving a hand position in the drops that is 1cm wider than at the hoods. It's all very comfortable for a relatively aggressive position.

The PLT bar absorbs buzz well to provide plenty of comfort and it comes with about three inches of internal routing. This gives a clean finish and because the section is straight and short, it's incredibly easy to feed cables through.

Out on the road, there is no rattling from the internal cables and wrenching on the bar brings no front end movement.

The PLT Carbon looks really smart, performs well it comes at a very attractive price for a bar of this kind.

Read our Pro PLT Carbon review

Schmolke Roadbar Oversize Evo TLO — ~£450

Weight: 147g

The Schmolke Roadbar Oversize Evo TLO is an astonishingly light carbon-fibre handlebar that offers a good level of stiffness although the price is going to send all but the most dedicated weight-savers diving for cover.

Schmolke is a German brand that has supplied bars for the likes of Jan Ullrich and Erik Zabel in the past. All of its products are made in Germany. The TLO – it stands for 'The Lightest One', by the way – is made from T1000 carbon fibre and it comes with a reach of 76mm and a shallow drop of 126mm.

The top section of the bar is slightly squashed in profile, fitting beautifully into your palm when you're climbing, and it's easy to arrange things so that you get a flat or just slightly angled platform from the shoulders to the hoods of your levers.

The drop bends smoothly with a generous amount of rearward extension at the end, allowing you to shift your hands backwards if the road ahead is clear and you don't need immediate access to the controls.

The Schmolke Roadbar Oversize Evo TLO sits about mid-table for a high-end bar in terms of stiffness, offering plenty of confidence when you're out of the saddle or cornering hard while, on the other hand, also helping to damp vibration over rougher road surfaces. It's a decent balance.

If you want to use clip-on aero bars or Di2 internal wiring for a bar-end junction box, models are available with the necessary strengthening (which adds 8g of weight in each case).

Read our Schmolke Roadbar Oversize Evo TLO handlebar review

The Ritchey WCS Butano Handlebar not only looks great, with its excellent finish, but also offers loads of comfortable hand positions for gravel/adventure riding or for long jaunts on the road.

• Pros: Shallow drop means they are accessible for all; great quality
• Cons: Minimal grooves leave the cables proud of the bar

The WCS range is the showcase for Ritchey's top end kit and the paint finish makes the Butano look and feel like it is carbon fibre. That finish is hardwearing too – it takes a lot to scratch it and make it look tatty.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The Butano is a bar designed for gravel and adventure use, primarily thanks to the curved shape and flared drops. Flared drop bars for off-road riding have become commonplace: you can ride in your normal narrow road position on the hoods, but when you are descending at speed or attacking a fast technical section in the drops, the wider stance means you have better stability by distributing your body weight wider.

> road.cc Gravel Bike of the Year 2019/2020

Like many, Ritchey has gone for a 12-degree flare either side, which means that the bar's width increases outside to outside from the tops to the drops by around 5cm in total.

The drop is just 118mm from the top to the bottom of the bar, so you don't need to be super-flexible to make full use of them.

For comfort, it's not just the drops that are flared. The top of the bar either side of the main clamping area also kicks back by 4 degrees, putting these areas in a closer position to you for a more upright riding style when climbing or taking it easy, without affecting the overall reach figures for when you're riding on the hoods.

The bar is made from 7075 grade aluminium alloy and offers all the stiffness you need without feeling overly harsh when riding on rough roads or gravel.

The clamping area for the stem and that of the gear shifters has a sandpaper effect for grip, and I had no slippage issues with either.

The only thing I would prefer to see are slightly wider grooves to run cables and hoses, because they are quite shallow on the Butano and end up sitting proud of the bar. I positioned the cables one in front of the other underneath towards the front of the bar to avoid having to wrap my hands around them, but some bars have a cleaner finish, such as the Deda Gravel100 RHM.

In fact, I swapped the Deda bar out of the gravel bike for this Ritchey, and the quality of the finish and ride is very similar. The Deda is more expensive at £94.99, but it's also lighter by 30g, if that is important.

> How to find the best drop handlebars for you + 8 of the best

Another very good bar I have been using is the Easton EA70 AX, which comes with plenty of clamping space for all your bits and bobs along with flared drops for £79.99.

There are other cheaper options out there, but taking the performance, fit and finish into consideration, I think the WCS Butano offers decent value for money, especially when paired up with other WCS components.

If the WCS is too rich for you but you like the design, there is a much cheaper Comp version which starts at around £40. 

Verdict

Very comfortable bar with plenty of hand positions that also looks the business

Tom Ritchey has been making nice bits and bobs for bikes (as well as whole bikes) for a good long while now, and he knows his way around a seatpost all right. The WCS Carbon Link Flexlogic seatpost combines a low weight with compliance, claimed to make your ride more comfortable. The price is high, mind.

• Pros: Light, adds a degree more comfort to your bike, scale is useful to get right saddle height
• Cons: A bit fiddly to fit, expensive, scale could be clearer

The Flexlogic is likely to appeal if you want to add a little comfort to your bike without adding any weight. Sure, if you're not fussed about weight then there are some alternatives that are likely to give a more significant addition of cush, but for your best bike you might not want to add a few hundred grams of weight.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Ritchey claims that its Flexlogic seatpost is "15% more vertically compliant", a frustratingly non-specific piece of marketing if ever I heard one. Assuming that is relative to a generic seatpost which wasn't designed for comfort then 15% is actually quite a small margin of improvement.

As it's impossible to ride the exact same bumps from one ride to the next, all I can give you is my subjective impression, which is that it did indeed offer a modest improvement in comfort when compared to the standard aluminium post that it replaced. It's hard to quantify, but it might be of a similar order to the effect of dropping 20psi in your tyres, with the obvious proviso that only your bum (not your hands or feet) will feel the difference. There's certainly not enough to really take the sting out of a pothole or bump that snuck up on you, but just a gentle damping effect that takes some of the road buzz out before it reaches your butt.

The compliance is apparently due to the FlexLogic carbon layup in the seatpost, based (Ritchey tells us) upon an arrangement developed for Pro Tour team bikes from Stevens, Canyon and Scott. One of the best things about carbon fibre for a designer is the ability to tweak stiffness depending on how you orientate the fibres in the layup. I don't know the details of what the Flexlogic layup is when it's at home, and you can't see any indication through the resin, but if I had to guess I'd say that there may be fewer fibres orientated vertically at the front and back of the seatpost. I'm just guessing, mind.

In parallel with this seatpost, I've been testing the Canyon VCLS2.0 post, which is a very different affair. The bump-absorption of the Canyon post is massively more noticeable than here, thanks to the leaf-spring arrangement. It is heavier, though, and even more expensive.

I had initially assumed that the top of the seatpost, where it thins signifiantly, was the part that gave the flex. In fact, this part is what allows the Flexlogic post to be used with three types of saddle mounting. It includes a clamp for standard saddle rails (round or oval), but you can also use it to hold Ritchey Vector Evo and Selle Italia MonoLink saddles. How many riders actually have those other types of saddle? Not that many that I know, but if you do (or if you're still trying to find your perfect perch), you'll certainly appreciate the, erm, flexibility.

This Ritchey seatpost is available in a range of sizes: 350x27.2, 400x27.2, 400x30.9 and 400x31.6. I tested it in a 27.2mm diameter, and I would expect a little less flex in the larger diameters. It has a 15mm setback and you can flip the clamp parts around at the back to gain an additional 10mm of fore-aft range.

I only used it with conventional saddles, and it did a good job of holding them firmly in place once everything was correctly torqued up. As a consequence of the fact that it can be used with different types of saddle, the attachment of a standard one is slightly more fiddly than it might be – there are four separate metal parts and two bolts, and I found it quite easy to drop one or other of these small pieces on the garage floor while fitting a saddle. Of course, unless you're a journo or a pro mechanic, you probably don't fit saddles or seatposts that frequently, so it's not a major concern.

If you use a seatpack under your saddle then you might want to check that it plays nicely with this seatpost. I found that seatpacks which strap onto the saddle rails tended to rub on the rearward nub of the head of this seatpost. Consequently, I swapped to a pack that clips onto the saddle (Fizik and Prologo make these, among others), which was fine.

At this elevated price point, refinements such as the scale on the rear of the Flexlogic post are expected. You've got to get pretty close to read what the numbers say here, mind – a larger font might have been an improvement.

I think a typical buyer for something like this would be someone who wants to make their bike a bit more comfy without adding too much weight. If you climb off your bike after a couple of hours and your bum is really sore, this would help, right? Well, yes, to some extent. My advice is that you should set out initially to find padded shorts and a saddle that suit you, as these will have a greater effect on riding comfort. Once you've done that, and perhaps looked at the largest tyres you can fit in your frame, this would be a logical next step.

We've reviewed a bunch of seatposts recently (see the link below), so how does Ritchey's offering measure up? If you're looking for a lightweight post that can add a little comfort to your bike, I'd suggest that this is a leading contender, provided that the price isn't an issue.

> Buyer's Guide: 6 of the best comfort-boosting seatposts

I specced this post on my bike for exactly those reasons, coupled with the fact that the upgrade cost in Rose's bike-configuring site at the time was somehow only £9 over the standard seatpost. Full price is £187, although it is available if you shop around for around £150. That is still quite a chunk of cash, so you may not want to dig that deep.

If weight-saving is your prime objective, we liked Reilly's excellent-value Vector post a lot, although that is an inline post. If your goal is primarily to add a bit of compliance for rougher surfaces, arguably the leading contender is the Canyon VCLS2.0 post. We'll have a review of that coming up soon.

Verdict

Low weight, moderate cush – a high end carbon post to make your best bike slightly more comfortable

Tubeless wheelsets have become way more common recently, particularly since more tubeless tyre options arrived on the scene, and here are some of the very best that we've reviewed for under a grand.

A tubeless system is basically a clincher tyre inflated onto a rim with no inner tube. Instead of an inner tube holding the air pressure, an airtight chamber is created with a tubeless-specific tyre, developed with a special (commonly carbon) bead, and a compatible rim.

Check out our guide to the best tubeless tyres

The main advantage is the substantially reduced risk of puncturing if you use liquid sealant inside the tyre. This sloshes around inside and reacts with air if the tyre casing is punctured, and plugs the hole. It can seal most small holes caused by flint or thorns and while you might suffer a small drop in pressure, you can continue riding.

Find out more reasons why you should consider switching to tubeless

If you want to go tubeless you need the right wheels, and here are 23 of the best, some for rim brakes and some for discs.

Clicking on the heading of each wheelset will take you to a dealer.

Scribe Race — £360.00

Scribe has delivered a double whammy with its Race wheelset. Not only are they light enough to compete with similar depth carbon fibre wheels, they'll cost you at least half the price. And to achieve the numbers on the scale, Scribe hasn't sacrificed on strength or stiffness either.

If you're searching for lightweight wheels as a general upgrade for riding or even racing, carbon fibre rims are typically the go-to option. But the Scribe Race wheels show that you can have pretty much all of the performance and stiffness of carbon in alloy guise without the price tag.

For your £360 you're getting a set of wheels that weigh just 1,492g (without rim tape), and under hard acceleration or sprinting up short, sharp climbs the Scribes don't flex at all, so brake rub isn't an issue. Scribe has achieved this performance by using a hardened, heat-treated alloy for the rim design.

Read our review of the Scribe Race

Hunt 4 Season Gravel Disc X-Wide — £329.00

If you ride a lot on gravel tracks and trails you want a wheelset that can take plenty of abuse, and these Hunt 4 Season Gravel Disc X-Wide wheels fit that bill brilliantly. They're solid, dependable and lovely wheels to ride, and with their wide rim bed they work perfectly with wider gravel tyres.

The 4 Seasons have a very solid feel to them, which also gives a sense of comfort. The rim depth is only 19mm, so you don't get any of the harshness sometimes found on deeper section alloy or even carbon rims.

I've got some steep descents on my local gravel tracks where 50mph is achievable, and while they are reasonably hard packed there are some cruel rocks to catch you out as the aggregate blurs past beneath you.

Sometimes the bunny hops aren't quite high enough and I whacked a large stone that was about 8in in diameter at speed. The sound was deafening, and I really thought I'd totalled the rear wheel.

There was dust and a mark on the tyre and a bit of a scratch to the finish of the wheel where the impact had taken place, but everything was still spinning as true as it was when I took them out of the box. I was very impressed.

Read our review of the Hunt 4 Season Gravel Disc X-Wide

Hunt 30 Carbon Aero Disc Road wheels — £799

 The 30 Carbon Aero Disc wheelset from UK brand Hunt is unbelievably light, which really benefits climbing and acceleration, especially because achieving that weight hasn't meant any loss in lateral stiffness. These are seriously good wheels at a very good price.

With 30mm-deep rims, these wheels are versatile for all kinds of road riding – racing, sportives, audax or just getting out with mates on a group ride.

At just 1,347g they feel light and responsive whatever the terrain, but it's most notable when you are in the hills. Attack a climb out of the saddle and they'll make the whole bike surge forward as if it weighs nothing, also helped by the instant engagement of the multi-point pawls in as little as 7.5 degrees.

It's the same when it comes to sprinting or hard acceleration: the response is like a switch has been flicked bunging another 100 watts into your legs for free.

All of this is a waste of time if you can't get that power out because of flex, but there are no such issues here. Even full-on sprinting efforts don't see the rims budge a millimetre from side to side.

Read our review of the Hunt 30 Carbon Aero Disc Road wheels

Scribe Aero Wide 38 wheels — £870

In developing the Aero Wide 38 wheels, Scribe has shown that while the disc brake continues to grow in popularity there is still plenty to be done for those of us who prefer rim brakes to stop our bikes. Weighing just 1,401g without sacrificing stiffness, these wheels are fast, hugely versatile and they come in at an impressive price.

Taking them out of the box, the first thing you notice is the weight – or lack of it – which can often give a little bit of trepidation before fitting them to the bike.

I'm not your typical whippet-thin racer and I can put out a lot of power in quick bursts for short, sharp hills or sprinting for lights, that kind of thing, and if a wheel designer has focused on weight rather than lateral stiffness, I'm going to notice it.

When riding the Aera AR55 wheels I could get them touching the brake pads even when they were backed off by millimetres, but thankfully hitting the same climbs on the Scribes hasn't seen a single issue even with pads sitting a millimetre away from the rim.

Acceleration is epic, and when you are riding in unfamiliar places and don't know what is around the corner, finding yourself at the foot of a hill isn't an issue as just a quick dig on the pedals or climb out of the saddle will see the wheels maintain pace much easier than a heavier set.

Read our review of the Scribe Aero Wide 38 wheels

Mason X Hunt 4 Season Disc Wheels — £329

Back in 2015 Stu rated the Mason Resolution featuring the first 17mm-internal-width incarnation of the collaboratively designed Mason x Hunt 4 Season Disc wheelset. He found that 'stiffness is high, you can really notice that when sprinting or climbing out of the saddle yet they don't feel harsh in any conditions'. The second incarnation is also a cracking buy.

At launch in 2015, the Mason X Hunt 4 Season wheels were £349. The 2019 update brings the width out to 19mm, allowing wider tyres and the multiple benefits thereof, for a price of £329. That's about a £55 reduction allowing for 2015-2019 inflation – not bad for a product that's only improved technically.

On the road over three months – be it gravelly, rocky or tarmac – the Mason X Hunt 4 Season Discs didn't disappoint. They felt solid, with no discernible flex likely to create tyre rub if you're pushing the limits of your frame clearance. Talk of 'stiffness' or 'comfort' is pretty much moot with large, soft tyres – so let's just say that the 4 Seasons felt great, steering was sharp under cornering/braking, and the 4-pawl 10-degree engagement freehub felt snappy when accelerating hard. The ratchets are on the loud side, so if you're after stealth maybe look elsewhere. The freehub body is coated with a special treatment that Hunt says provides 'excellent durability against cassette sprocket damage'. Removing my cassette after a fair bit of riding, I couldn't see any sign of wear at all – so it's obviously working.

Read our review of the Mason X Hunt 4 Season Disc Wheels

Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel Disc X-Wide wheels — £799

The Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel Disc X-Wide are the UK brand's flagship gravel wheelset. The step up to 23mm internal rim width sets them up for the new breed of mega-wide-clearance allroad bikes – and the adaptable hubs mean your investment now is almost guaranteed to fit any future bike purchase.

Out of the box the X-Wides look quite the business – jet black with subtle white branding. With an outside width of 30mm and depth of 35mm (hence the name) they look huge – but at only 1.5kg for the set, there's clearly carbon witchcraft going on inside.

The main reason for getting the X-Wides is the super-wide 23mm rim bed, backed up by a few square acres of carbon chunkiness to keep things in one piece. There's a great deal of comfort to be had from the rim profile when you're bombing about taking drop bars where no sane person would consider sensible or even possible. Everything about the X-Wides murmurs 'Find Your Limits', and it didn't take me long to trust that they were more than up to the job.

Setting up my now-40mm Steilacooms for about 32psi, no byway or gravelly road was beyond them. I sought out increasingly-lumpy mountain bike trails and footpaths (perfectly legit up here in the Bonnie Republic), the only limits to hand being my own skills and willingness to risk considerable personal pain should things go awry.

The pre- and post-gravel commutes on tarmac amply demonstrated the X-Wides' ability to hold a decent turn of speed, even in a nippy crosswind. Obviously the asymmetric profile is going to favour wind from one direction over another, but I couldn't work out which, even battling along a snaking road over a North Yorkshire moor. No doubt the aero butted spokes help out here, keeping things swishing along.

Read our review of the Hunt 35 Carbon Gravel Disc X-Wide wheels

Pacenti Brevet Wheels — £349.99

Pacenti's Brevet Wheelset offers a classic look with modern features and performance that exceeded our expectations. The weight is good, but this is a wheelset all about comfort and style, both of which Pacenti has got spot on.

Ever since carbon wheelsets rudely made an appearance in Paris-Roubaix, my love of a classic box-section rim has grown ever stronger. These days, Enves are more common on the club run than a classic, handbuilt wheelset and that saddens me. I've owned many shallow section wheels, the best of which were Ambrosio's Excellence rims laced with plain gauge spokes to blissfully silent Ultegra 6800 hubs.

Pacenti markets these wheels as classic style matched with modern features, intending them to be used for a retro bike build that you can take to L'Eroica. What I see is a stylish set of wheels for getting the miles in.

The classic style is the main feature for me, and wow do these look stunning. The polished box-section alloy rims are just 15mm tall and have 28 spoke holes holding silver Sapim D-Light J-bend spokes. These attach in a two-cross lacing pattern to the high-flange hubs.

Read our review of the Pacenti Brevet Wheels

Scribe Aero Wide 50-D — £870

The Scribe Aero Wide 50-D carbon disc wheels are all about speed according to the manufacturer, and they don't disappoint. Matching a wind-cheating 50mm-deep rim to smooth-running hubs, an instantaneous freehub engagement and plenty of stiffness makes for a set of wheels that delivers for those who want to put the hammer down. The impressive weight and a sensible price finalise the deal.

A wheel weight of 1,449g (1,438g claimed) is impressive full stop, but when you consider that's including a wide and deep carbon fibre rim, plus the extra spokes needed for a disc build, it is truly awesome and something you really notice when fitting them to your bike.

I've got another test bike that's wearing a set of Campagnolo Bora 50 Disc wheels, which are pretty old school: a narrow rim and that V-shaped profile I mentioned earlier. Fast yes, but much more twitchy in a crosswind compared to these Scribes.

The Scribes do offer quite a firm ride, although I wouldn't say they are overly harsh, and if my focus was more on speed anyway then I'd be willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort.

Read our review of the Scribe Aero Wide 50-D wheels

Pacenti Forza Carbon Disc — £899.99

The Pacenti Forza-C 30mm Disc Clincher wheels are a new design from the ground up and they are absolutely lovely. You can feel the quality of the build as soon as you start riding, and their stiffness is impressive considering their very svelte 1,378g weight. Pacenti hasn't even stung you on the price either.

Pacenti builds these wheels by hand in the UK and it shows – not necessarily the UK bit, but definitely the handbuilt part. The wheels feel tight and stiff, but the spoke tension allows enough comfort through to take out any harshness.

The tyres will obviously do the majority of this, but using the same tyres, pressures and so on between the amount of wheels I get through, you can feel the tiny little differences.

Speaking of tyres, the Forza-C rims are hookless so they are only compatible with proper tubeless tyres, none of that tubeless ready stuff, so that might limit their appeal somewhat to prospective purchasers. You can fit an inner tube if you like, as long as you use a tubeless-specific tyre.

Read our review of the Pacenti Forza Carbon Disc wheels

Pacenti Forza — £350

Pacenti has delivered an excellent product with its Forza Rim Brake wheelset, marrying an impressive weight with a solid, do-it-all road rim for racing or training – all for a very reasonable price, even against the biggest brands in the marketplace.

While it might feel like every wheel brand is pushing its latest disc brake offerings, it can be easy to think that rim brake wheelsets are being left behind, but thanks to brands like Pacenti there are still some quality offerings out there – like the Forza.

Tyre widths have been increasing in the road genre over the last few years and rims have been getting wider too, to keep the compatibility. Rim brake frames don't have the clearance of disc brake versions, because of them needing to keep the brake bridge for one thing, so the Forza rim isn't the widest we've seen at 24mm externally (20mm internal). Pacenti does say that it works perfectly with a 25mm tyre and I'd concur, as it gives the tyre a nice round profile rather than that lightbulb shape you get when used with a more traditional rim that is 3mm narrower.

Read our review of the Pacenti Forza wheels

Parcours Grimpeur Disc — £849

The Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheels are light enough to excel on the tarmac while being so tough that you can smash them over rocks and tree roots with little concern for their wellbeing. They won't break the bank either.

With a 40mm-deep U-shaped carbon rim they weigh in at just 1,406g with the tubeless rim tape fitted, which ties in well with Parcours' claimed weight of 1,390g bare.

Fitted to the Flanders Forte cyclo-cross frameset that we had in for testing, the wheels offered snappy acceleration, and their low weight helped the whole bike feel flickable at the front and rear for hopping over potholes, rocks and other obstacles.

Obviously, being fitted to a cyclo-cross bike they spent most of their time off-road and they took the knocks and bumps from the gravel tracks and tree roots of the local singletrack without issue.

Parcours has gone for a build of 24 Sapim CX-Ray spokes front and rear in a two-cross lacing pattern which certainly feels stiff and gave no issues with trueness even after a fairish amount of abuse. Hard acceleration and heavy braking did little to upset them either, from a stress point of view.

Read our review of the Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheels

Just Riding Along Lark Light Road — from £390

The Lark Light Road wheels from UK brand JRA (Just Riding Along) certainly live up to their name, weighing just 1,460g for the set. They're very responsive and JRA hasn't sacrificed durability to save the grams either. It's the perfect package for the rider who wants a classically styled, lightweight set of wheels for racing or training.

I was massively impressed with JRA's Gecko Carbon wheels when I tested them. They offered a solid build while being extremely lightweight and that theme is followed here with the Lark Lights.

Losing 250g from a wheelset always seems, to me anyway, to make much more of a difference to how the weight of the bike feels compared with dropping the same amount elsewhere, so swapping to the Larks from a set of winter rims made impressive differences to acceleration and climbing.

The JRA Light Road hubs run very, very smoothly on their stainless bearings and the pick-up on the freewheel is fast and precise, which all adds to effortless rolling whether on the flat or rolling terrain.

Read our review of the Just Riding Along Lark Light Road wheels

Prime BlackEdition 50 Carbon — £674.99

Prime's BlackEdition 50 Carbon Wheelset represents the brand's first push to compete with high-end performance wheels. They vastly outperform their price tag, with stable rims, great braking, smooth hubs and easy tubeless setup.

If you're not familiar with Prime, its a brand sold exclusively through Wiggle and CRC. Wiggle is using its buying power to produce a very capable race wheelset at a much better price than many well-known brands.

In the box, you get tubeless valves, carbon brake pads, QR skewers, spare spokes, nipples and a 10-speed spacer. They don't come with sealant, but that's something I'd get when selecting tyres.

The 50mm deep rim brake option on test can be run using both clincher and tubeless tyres. They arrived with Hutchinson's Fusion 25mm tubeless tyres fitted, but I also tested them with Vittoria's 25mm Corsa G Tubeless and 28mm Goodyear Eagle tubeless tyres. All were easy to mount up with a standard track pump.

Read our review of the Prime BlackEdition 50 Carbon Wheelset

AlexRims CXD4 700C Disc TL Ready Centerlock Road — £287.99

The CXD4 is an excellent mid-level alloy disc wheelset that's available in 6-bolt or Centerlock configurations. Weighing in at a very reasonable 1,580g, it's a chunk lighter than stock wheels you'll find on most bikes under about £2,000.

The rim is a tubeless-ready 23mm alloy extrusion, sleeve-jointed for extra strength. The rim shape is asymmetric to better balance the spoke forces, with the same rim being used front and rear. At the front the spoke holes are offset away from the disc side, and at the rear they're offset towards it, as the freehub moves the hub flange in more than the disc does.

Both front and rear are built up with 24 round stainless steel spokes in a two-cross pattern. The hubs have an alloy body and axle and sealed cartridge bearings.

We had these wheels set up with 30mm Schwalbe G-One Speed tyres for the duration of testing. Getting them to seal wasn't a problem and we had no issues with the tyres losing air more than normal.

On the road the wheels feel nice and stiff, with no obvious flex either from sprint efforts or heavy cornering. The bearings run smoothly, and whipping the cassette off showed that there's not very much notching on the alloy freehub body.

Read our review of the AlexRims CXD4 wheels
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Fulcrum Racing 5 Disc — £229.99

The Racing 5 is a well-established wheelset, available in both disc and rim brake (£299.99) configurations. It is a decent choice for a first upgrade.

Within the Racing range, the 5 is the general-purpose road wheelset. They're a reasonable weight for the money – we weighed them at 1,640g compared to a claimed 1,610g – which makes them competitive with similar-priced wheels from Hunt and Kinesis, and usefully lighter than Mavic's Ksyrium Disc wheelset.

The rims are asymmetric, which Fulcrum claims "improves rim tension, balancing the forces from brakes and sprocket cassette". If you're after more aero benefits, the similar-priced Racing 4 has a deeper rim, while the Racing 7 is now targeted at all-road use, with a wider rim profile and a higher weight.

The Racing 5 has a 26mm deep rim, which is 21mm wide – wider than wheels were traditionally but not as wide as some. Fulcrum says that it'll take tyres between 25mm and 50mm, making it an option for cyclo-cross too, although it is marketed primarily as a road wheelset.

If you want to run these wheels tubeless you'll need to buy the necessary valves and rim tape because they're not included, which is a bit mean. The Racing 5s should be used only with certain Schwalbe tyres, according to Fulcrum. We can't tell you to ignore that advice... but we did and things worked out just fine.

The hubs are quality affairs, as befits a sub-brand of Campagnolo. They've got sealed bearings and Campagnolo's signature way of reaching them, via a collar with a tiny pinch bolt. They come with various adaptors to suit different axles, from 15mm thru-axle down to a standard QR, and they can be swapped pretty easily as they're just retained with an o-ring friction fit.

The Fulcrums were solidly built, reasonably stiff and generally easy to live with. A lot of disc brake bikes around the £1,000-2,000 bracket will come with relatively heavy wheels as stock, often around 2kg; you'll see a lot of entirely serviceable but quite weighty wheels such as Mavic Aksiums, own-brand hubs with Alex rims and so on. Switching to something lighter like this can save 400-500g; that won't transform the bike, but is enough that you'll notice the difference.

Read our review of the Fulcrum Racing 5 Disc sheels
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Edco Optima Roches — £250

Edco's Optima Roches are a tough set of tubeless-ready wheels that are built around Edco's own SuperG hubs. These hubs are guaranteed for a whopping eight years (the other components get a two-year guarantee), a strong hint at Edco's confidence in their durability. They use radial stainless ball bearings and are laced to the alloy rims with 20 Sapim Race double butted spokes on the front and 24 at the rear. You'll need Centerlock disc brake rotors for stopping.

That rear hub has Edco's own MultiSys cassette hub body, making it compatible with both Campagnolo and Shimano/SRAM cassettes. The hub body also has a hardened steel inlay to protect the aluminium body from being eaten by the sprockets.

The rims are wider (24mm) than they are high (22mm), making them bang on the bigger tyres trend. Edco recommends using 25mm tyres. Although the rims are tubeless ready, we found that a bit of perseverance was needed to get them set up,

The Optima Roches stayed perfectly true during testing, despite the fact that we loaded them up for touring over Edco's 110kg maximum weight limit.

These really are about as tough as they come, which is no mean feat for a pair of wheels that weigh 1,725g, have a low spoke count and spin up fast enough to enjoy sprints. They are stiff without rattling the fillings, making them perfect for any kind of riding that requires a fast wheel that will take a battering. Tubes and tyres come as part of the package, and the quick releases are really nice too!

Read our review
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Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST — £449.00

The Ksyrium Elite, Mavic's highly dependable all-rounder, became tubeless in 2018 with the French company's UST system, like much of the range. The wheels are lightweight and durable and are still great to ride whether you are racing or tackling the club run, with a little bit of future proofing.

At 1,532g without tyres the Ksyrium Elite UST wheelset is light enough to be exciting on the climbs or under acceleration, and their stiffness certainly backs that up; you won't get any flex or brake rub here.

You get Yksion Pro UST tyres as part of the package, and they offer loads of grip. Mavic claims that its road UST tubeless system is different from other tubeless systems in that the wheel and tyre are designed together and there's tight control over production variances. Inflation was smooth and simple with the Yksions sitting snuggly against the rim with just the use of a standard track pump, and there were no leaks of sealant anywhere.

If you want a set of wheels to tackle a bit of everything, then the Ksyrium Elites are hard to fault. While you can get cheaper, this is a solid package that'll give you real peace of mind.

The disc version of this wheelset is priced £585.00.

Read our review of the Mavic Ksyrium Elite UST wheels
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Ritchey Classic Zeta wheelset — ~£360

Ritchey has managed to build a tough yet lightweight package with its Classic Zeta wheels and they look the part too with their highly polished silver finish. Whether on smooth tarmac, broken back lane or potholed byway, they roll quickly and aren't shy of taking a knock or two.

What you get here is a pair of 6061 aluminium alloy rims, Phantom Flange hubs connected by DT Competition j-bend spokes and an all-in weight of 1,491g.

The rims have an external width of around 22mm which makes them more suited to larger tyres like 28mm or even Ritchey's own 30mm-wide WCS Alpine JBs, which were used for a lot of the test miles.

Fitting tyres to them is simple: we tried a few brands out and none was a struggle or faff to fit.

Ritchey has specced these Zetas for road, cyclo-cross and light adventure use. Whacking a pothole is pretty much inevitable these days and we smashed through a few on the Ritcheys without issue; they still ran true. They also saw some pretty hard miles on various sizes of gravel, from the small stuff through to bigger, rockier sections. Again, not a single complaint.

Thanks to their low weight, the Zetas perform across the board. Acceleration and climbing feel great as the wheels are just so quick to spin up to speed, and once up there they roll extremely well.

They're comfortable, too, as the handbuilt setup leaves enough give in the spoke tension to keep the wheels stiff for those hard efforts without being an overly harsh ride.

Overall, the Ritcheys are a very good showcase for getting what you pay for, with a great all-round feel of quality, durability and performance. These igh-performance wheels that are just as at home on your race machine as they are on your gravel hack.

Read our review of the Ritchey Classic Zeta wheels
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Vision TriMax 30 KB — ~£470.00

Vision's TriMax 30 KB tubeless-ready wheels are built to last, look great and stay that way thanks to a clever surface treatment. Weight-weenies might find them a shade heavy (we weighed them at 1,570g), but that's far less important than durability and reliability.

They arrived straight and true, and the spoke tension was decent, helping them stay that way. They're laterally stiff enough that we couldn't get them to rub on the brakes, even with the pads positioned close to the rim. They're unaffected by sidewinds because they're only 30mm deep, enough to give them a slight aero advantage over old-school square rims, but not enough to affect handling when it's windy.

Out on the road, the TriMax 30s spin up easily and roll well, and the lateral stiffness of the wide rims – the internal width is 19mm – helps them stay on line in corners. It also bigs up your tyres. Our 25mm tyres ended up more like 27mm across, so we could run a little less pressure for more grip and better cushioning.

Braking is smooth and very powerful thanks to the machined sidewalls and oxide coating which increases friction with the brake pads. This is especially noticeable in the wet.

These are great wheels on a number of fronts: looks, build quality, stiffness, braking, durability and general practicality. They're perhaps overkill if you're a 60kg racing snake, but for those who aren't exactly svelte, the extra beef is very welcome.

Read our review of the Vision TriMax 30 KB wheels
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DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut 21 OXiC — £634.39

These wheels feature a ceramic coated rim surface that provides reassuring braking performance in a range of conditions, making them ideal for year-round cycling in the UK.

We rode these wheels for several months in everything from glorious sunshine to freezing rain and everything in between, and they were excellent regardless of the weather.

Braking performance using the supplied brake blocks is very good in dry conditions and is similar to any good aluminium rim. The rims really start to make a case for themselves in rain, mud and grit-coated surfaces, the OXiC coating becoming a benefit with powerful, predictable, and consistent braking.

The other big benefit of a ceramic coating is a rim that is much more durable. Ceramic-coated rims should last for years.

The rims are laced with straight-pull DT aero comp spokes to DT's own hubs with star ratchet internals. They weigh just 1,500g – a little over the claimed 1,472g. Measuring 18mm internally and 22mm externally, they're not as wide as the widest rims currently available, but wider than traditional rims.

DT supplies the sealant and valves you need for running the wheels tubeless, and we found the setup easy.

The hubs feature very wide flanges, intended to increase wheel stiffness, and spin on 240 internals. They are well proven and popular in many aftermarket hubs. The 36-tooth ratchet system in the rear hubs provides very swift engagement when you stamp on the pedals.

These wheels are stiff and responsive, with no give or flex when putting the power down in a sprint or steep climb. The low weight puts many carbon wheels to shame and while they are pricey for an aluminium wheelset, they are a snip compared with most carbon wheels of comparable weight and performance.

For year-round racing, training and just riding, these are excellent wheels with highly impressive braking in all conditions. The appearance, build quality and attention to detail is first class, as is the durability.

Read our review of the DT Swiss PR 1400 Dicut 21 OXiC wheels
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Just Riding Along Gecko Carbon — £850.00

The Just Riding Along (JRA) Gecko Carbon wheelset is very impressive, designed to take on the constant knocks and vibrations the roughest gravel tracks can throw at them, while being so light (1,400g) that they won't hamper your performance on the road. It's also pretty amazing that they come in at well under a grand.

The Geckos are solid. We couldn't detect any feeling of flex on steep, short, sharp climbs, whether on the road or when scrabbling about on loose, large gravel.

The wheels took some big knocks during testing, and while sometimes the noise could be pretty scary, on inspection they had come away completely unscathed, remaining as true as they were out of the box.

The Geckos are built to order and the spoke tension is even throughout. They are comfortable as well, even 25mm tyres pumped up hard never giving a harsh ride.

The full carbon rims have an external width of 27mm and 21mm internal, meaning that tyres tend to size up a little bigger than their sidewall suggests.

JRA has specced Bitex hubs on the Geckos and they are a lovely piece of kit, spinning smoothly and freely.

Overall, the Geckos are excellent wheels for gravel use without being too overbuilt to stop them offering a great performance on the road.

Read our review of the Just Riding Along Gecko Carbon

BORG50C Carbon Clincher wheelset — from £800.00

The BORG50C carbon clincher aero wheels are a sharply priced tubeless-ready option for going fast. Handling well in crosswinds and with an industry-leading lifetime warranty, for the money these are a serious contender for Best Starter Bling Hoops Deal Going.

When the wheels arrived at road.cc they were already shod with IRC's Formula Pro RBCC Tubeless tyres, valves and sealant – that's £910 all-inclusive. The full combo weighed in at 2,520g. Borg sells the BORG50C for £800 naked, which is a very good price for the rounded weight/performance/warranty package.

Malcolm Borg builds his wheels in Suffolk with great attention to detail. Borg promises to replace anything that's failed – rim, spoke or hub – due to a manufacturing defect for the entire life of the wheelset. If you crash them, Borg will repair for the cost of parts only – the labour's free.

Borg has gone for nice Miche Primato Syntesi hubs, with a micro-adjustment ring to take up any play. The rim measures 26.1mm at the aero bulge, and with the 25mm IRC Formula Pro tubeless measuring 23.9mm, there's a definite aero profile going on front to back.

We found it difficult to get some tubeless tyres onto the rim and you need to have a good compressor setup to hand.

The usual concern around 50mm rims is buffeting, but these wheels never got out of hand even when we rode them in strong (20mph+) sidewinds.

during the review period. My rim-braked test frame is a Velocity Selene, a fairly agile responder and therefore commensurately susceptible to external influences.

All in all, for £800 plus tyres of your choice, tubeless-ready and with a best-of-breed warranty and repair service, the BORG50C wheelset is a cracking choice and should be a serious contender for your cash.

Read our review of the BORG50C Carbon Clincher wheels

Hunt 30 Carbon Gravel Disc Wheelset — £799

The 30 Carbon Gravel wheels use a disc brake-only rim design. They're built from unidirectional T24/30 carbon and are 30mm deep and notably lighter than most wide aluminium rims at a claimed 370g. Using carbon helps, obviously, but Hunt has also saved weight thanks to the absence of a brake track and bead hooks.

At 26.6mm externally, and 21.3mm internally, these are wide rims, as befits their intended use, and Hunt says they're suitable for use with tyres from 25mm to 50mm, making them an option for a really broad range of riding.

A healthy 24-spokes at the front and 28 spokes at the rear, laced 2-cross, makes for a really strong, stiff build. Hunt gives a rider weight limit of 115kg for these wheels, and they've shrugged off everything we threw at them, including bridleways, towpath commuting, and touring with panniers on some pretty appalling roads.

The 30 Carbon Gravel wheels are supplied taped and with tubeless valves included. Unlike the majority of road tubeless rims, there are no pronounced bead hooks, just small ridges to keep the tyre beads locked in position. Getting the tyre over the bead hooks is normally the fiddly part of inflating a tubeless tyre, but it's easy here with no bead hooks to get in the way. Using just a track pump, they were sealed within three pump strokes, and needed only a few more strokes to get them fully seated.

The hubs are based on those used in Hunt's 4season disc wheelset with uprated shielding and sealing on the EZO bearings to cope with off-road grot and the occasional jetwash.

It's really hard to find fault with these wheels. Light, wide, rugged and dependable, with genuinely easy tubeless setup, they're exactly what you want from a gravel wheelset. Carbon rims and disc brakes is a great combination, too. If you're in the market for a posh set of wheels for your gravel bike, these are a great option. Hunt has set a benchmark with these superb wheels.

Read our review of the Hunt 30 Carbon Gravel Disc Wheels