road.cc Recommends updated with 13 exceptional new products from Shimano, Rapha, Met, Bontrager, Schwalbe + more

The latest update to road.cc Recommends has gone live with our pick of the very best bikes and kit that we reviewed in June 2021, and we've added some excellent products to the mix.

Altura Thunderstorm City 20 Pannier

Bontrager MIK Commuter Boot Bag

End to End by Paul Jones

Mudhugger PhoneHugger phone case

Repente Quasar saddle

Rapha Women’s Classic Jersey II

Kinesis GTD v2 Frameset

Met Manta Mips Aero Road helmet

Fairlight Strael 3.0

7mesh WK3 Bib Shorts

Schwalbe G-One R tyre

Velocio Women’s Ultralight Bib Shorts

Shimano XC5 (XC501) SPD Shoes

You’ll hopefully have got the idea of how road.cc Recommends works; essentially, it’s the place where we group all of the very best-performing products that we’ve reviewed – the crème de la crème if you like – not simply stuff that’s scored well, but those items we think stand out as special. In short, it’s a one-stop-shop for cycling excellence! 

> Watch the very best stuff in cycling | road.cc Recommends episode 4

We update road.cc Recommends monthly, and we’ve just added 13 new products from all those we reviewed recently.

The third iteration of Fairlight’s Strael 3—which landed ANOTHER (they’re supposed to be rare) 10 out of 10—easily made the cut this month. It takes everything brilliant from its predecessor and includes some updates that not only improve the ride quality but also give it an even smoother, more refined look. It’ll now accept 37mm tyres and there’s fully sleeved internal routing for a front dynamo light.

In terms of clothing, there are two women’s bib shorts, the 7mesh WK3s and the Velocio Ultralights, with ‘easy pee’ functionality that is genuinely easy. They both come with endurance-focused comfort with a lightweight breathable design that’ll cover those sweatfest sessions and racing days.

Other new entries include Repente’s light and very comfortable flat profile Quasar saddle that’s very well suited to racier riding, Bontrager’s superbly stable rear rack Boot Bag with excellent waterproofing and impressive practicality both on and off the bike, as well as Met’s updated Manta aero helmet with nicely integrated MIPS protection.

There’s also a highly recommended book to get stuck into this month. The End to End by Paul Jones is a fascinating insight into the UK's signature long-distance challenge. It’s part travelogue and part confessional, and it’s beautifully written. Enjoy!

Head over to road.cc Recommends to check out all the latest additions, as well as those from previous months.