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Five cool things for whatever the weather from Fizik, Michelin, Van Rysel, Jack Wolfskin and CHPT3

We have some bright shoes, white shoes and lots more cycling accessories to use in our latest round-up of cool stuff we're testing right now

This week's Five Cool Things include some sunglasses and white shoes for if summer makes a reappearance, a windproof jacket and durable tyres for when it most likely doesn't, and some Fizik shoes with soles that are much brighter than this morning's weather. 

Here are the key details before the full reviews land on road.cc in the coming weeks... and if you're after the very best scoring reviews, check out road.cc recommends, where you'll find all our top rated products in one handy place. 

Fizik Tempo Beat Shoes (£179.99)

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Fizik's Tempo Beat shoes are described as a "casual road cycling shoe that combines a sleek silhouette with the convenience of an SPD outsole". 

For this shoe, Fizik went for a new shape with a more spacious toe box and a redesigned outsole - available in some funky colours - with a stiffness index of 4 (out of 10, so a moderate level of stiffness), which conceals a two-bolt cleat track. The shoe also features a lace-up closure system for "simple adjustability and superior comfort". 

The Tempo Beat Shoes weigh 790g for the pair (in size 43) and are available in sizes 36-48 (37 to 46 also in half sizes). 

Find out more 

Van Rysel Cycling Cat 3 Sunglasses RoadR 900 Perf Light (£59.99)

2024 Van Rysel Cycling Cat 3 Sunglasses RoadR 900 Perf Light - Translucent Black - 2.jpg

For £59.99, the Van Rysel Cycling Cat 3 Sunglasses RoadR 900 Perf Light are a bargain pair of sunnies, featuring the large lens design that's currently popular in cycling glasses. These shades are impressively light, weighing only 23g thanks to the lightweight frame.

The Van Rysel Cycling Cat 3 Sunglasses RoadR 900 Perf Light glasses feature a polycarbonate lens with Category 3 tint, which filters out up to 88% of light and offers full protection against harmful UV rays. 

The RoadR 900 Perf Light glasses are the frameless version of Decathlon's Cycling Cat 3 Sunglasses RoadR 900 Perf glasses, which are used by Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale riders and feature a full frame design. We also have these in for review, so keep your eyes peeled. 

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Michelin Lithion 4 Performance Line tyre (£29.99)

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> Best road bike tyres

The Michelin Lithion 4 Performance Line tyre is the next generation of the Lithion 3 which we tested back in 2020. Michelin says this new one has increasing rolling efficiency and a new tread pattern designed to increase mileage and grip. 

The Lithion 4 Performance Line tyre is designed as an all-round tyre, offering maximum durability. It's available in widths of 23mm to 32mm, and they come at a competitive weight of 259g for a width of 28mm. 

Stu is currently testing the classic sidewall version, but there's also an option with a black sidewall. Stay tuned to see if he considers them good value for money at £29.99 each.

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CHPT3 Transit Cycling Shoe (£195)

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> Best cheap cycling shoes

CHPT3, a British cycling brand founded by former professional cyclist David Millar in 2015, has released the Transit Cycling Shoe - a commuter shoe that promises the "power of a pro cycling shoe and the comfort of a luxury sneaker". 

The Transit Cycling shoes are designed to be practical both on and off the bike, eliminating click-clacking around the office often heard with traditional cycling shoes. This concept isn't new - we've previously reviewed Adidias' Velosamba SPD cycling shoes, released in 2021, which George scored a 7/10

CHPT3 also claims that you can wear the Transit Cycling Shoes on the road, to the office, the café and to the nightclub... we'll see what Matt Lamy evaluates these claims in his upcoming review.

Millar also joined us on the latest episode of our podcast to talk about the Transit Cycling Shoes. You can listen to the episode here.

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Jack Wolfskin Bike Commute Wind Jkt W (£125)

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> Best windproof cycling jackets

If you're looking for a casual jacket for commuting, this Jack Wolfskin Bike Commute Wind Jacket is a softshell jacket that is said to be highly breathable yet wind resistant. 

The jacket feature three pockets - two at the hips and one inner pocket - along with a hood and reflective details on the rear and sleeves. 

Weighing in at 175g on the road.cc Scales of Truth, it's light for a jacket of this type. Jack Wolfskin claims that it is "light and packable enough to stuff into a pocket on your commute bag, while providing full coverage". 

The Bike Commute Wind Jacket retails for £125, but at the time of writing, it's on sale for £87.

Find out more

Emily is our track and road racing specialist, having represented Great Britain at the World and European Track Championships. With a National Title up her sleeve, Emily has just completed her Master’s in Sports Psychology at Loughborough University where she raced for Elite Development Team, Loughborough Lightning.

Emily is our go-to for all things training and when not riding or racing bikes, you can find her online shopping or booking flights…the rest of the office is now considering painting their nails to see if that’s the secret to going fast…

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2 comments

Avatar
Dicklexic | 3 months ago
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Those CHPT3 shoes look like a cheap Nike AF1 knock off! £195!!!

Avatar
quiff replied to Dicklexic | 3 months ago
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I don't know why I'm defending them (I'm not about to buy any either) but AF1 RRP is £100+, not leather (which admittedly may be a positive if you're vegan, but impacts price), no SPD sole. Prefer the look of Velosambas though.   

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