Castelli Fly Thermal jacket
£330, saddleback.co.uk
Castelli says its new Fly Thermal jacket offers serious protection against the winter weather, and while it might look bulky, it weighs a scant 274g thanks to the brand’s new three-layer Fly fabric.
‘The internal ply is Gore-Tex’s Infinium Windstopper textile, which puts the kibosh on any remaining cold air that has managed to get through the two outer layers,’ says Rich Mardle, brand director for Castelli’s UK distributor, Saddleback. ‘That said, its porous nature should still allow the rider’s generated heat to escape.’
Sitting on top of the Windstopper is a new fabric Castelli dubs Clima SL, which is a 100% recycled insulation that, despite being low bulk, is high loft.
‘It adds a good degree of warmth to the jacket, but as it isn’t chunky the Fly Thermal still feels like a much lighter jacket to wear,’ says Mardle.
Facing the elements is a Fly SL outer layer. Castelli says this fabric is also fully recycled and is treated with a water-repellent coating that resists light rain and road spray. This means the jacket should be good for use on more than just those clear, cold mornings we get every once in a while – it will cope just as well on the murky, drizzly days we get far more often.
Trek Kovee Pro pedals
£129.99, trekbikes.com
Produced in collaboration with Look and based on the French brand’s X-Track MTB and gravel pedals, Trek’s new Kovee Pro design uses the same cleat interface and pedal hardware but combines them with Trek’s own pedal body and axle assembly.
A composite is used for the pedal body so the pedal-shoe contact area can be larger for more foot stability without increasing weight (the Kovee Pros weigh a claimed 340g), and dual seals have been used on the bearings to better protect against water and dirt ingress. Happily, just like the X-Tracks they are based on, the Kovee Pro pedals are SPD-compatible, meaning Shimano’s standard two-bolt cleats can be used with them.
Oakley Encoder Ellipse sunglasses
£219, oakley.com
Oakley has added another Encoder model to its line-up, extending the use of its PhysioMorphic Geometry lens design into a third derivation of the frameless sunglasses.
The moniker PhysioMorphic Geometry refers to the lens shaping that gives Oakley’s Encoder line of glasses its distinct looks. For example, the lens flares out slightly around the nose and along the top edge, which Oakley says isn’t just for sh
