Gear of the year 2023 - editor Aaron Borrill's tech highlights
A gravel bike, an off-road power meter and a game controller
I love bicycles. My home is a testament to this obsession with parts and gear strewn everywhere. This year has been a pretty amazing time for off.road.cc as we’ve grown into one of the biggest sites in the world for all things mountain biking and gravel. Of course, a large chunk of the gear that comes my way has an off-road bias, but I’m still enjoying a fair bit of road riding, time trialling and (dare I say) Zwift.
But before you chain up for a public flogging you need to hear me out. I ride every day and it always involves some form of testing. This time of the year is also ridiculously cold and, while I do venture out, it can get pretty muddy and dangerous when temperatures dip below zero. I’m a South African living in the UK after all – and most of the time I can’t feel my hands or feet, or face for that matter. And that’s why I use Zwift to stay fit and keep moving. One thing I won’t do, however, is use Zwift for the Festive 500 – that will be completed outside like I’ve done every year since 2015.
As far as my riding year has gone, my Strava says I’m on course to break 25,000km and 800 hours which should take me just passed 2022’s totals. I’ve managed to keep my fitness up and get stronger but, more importantly, ride more and experience other countries and cultures as a result of the global launch roster which is back in full swing. There were some pretty big product launches this year that I attended: SRAM Apex AXS in Illinois, Merida Silex in Reggio Emiglia, Italy and Cannondale SuperSix Evo4 in Girona but we also made an effort to attend the big trade shows such as Eurobike 2023 and Sea Otter Girona. While we can’t cover everything, we do make a concerted effort to report on the biggest product drops and feel our coverage for 2023 has usurped what we did last year in every possible way.
Looking at the content spread on the site, our team represents the complete cycling spectrum and, as a result, all off-road disciplines are covered comprehensively. Liam handles the enduro and more gravity-focussed side, Suvi takes care of gravel, Patrick enjoys mixing up cross-country with gravel and Matt Page – like me – enjoys the racy side of cross-country marathon, gravel and endurance riding. It’s this diversity that has helped shape off.road.cc and cemented our reputation as an authentic outlet that our readers can trust. You should read our collective Gear of the Year to see which products impressed us in 2023.
I hope my picks for 2023 simply inspire you to ride your bike more – whether that’s outside on your favourite trail or in the pixel-based worlds of Zwift.
Best bike - Merida Silex gravel bike
Merida Silex in Scandiano, Italy , by Aaron Borrill
Having tested many gravel bikes this year, the Merida Silex took me entirely by surprise. While the first generation didn't particularly win anyone over based purely on its looks, the new Silex is a lot more attractive and comes in a variety of colour options including the ‘space teal’ of the Merida Silex 10k bike pictured here. The design is very clean and hose-free affording riders the ability to fit a bar bag. Much of the hose-free look comes from the Wire Port integrated cable routing as seen on the Scultura and Scultura Endurance road bikes.
Looking at the numbers, a medium frameset tips the scales at 1,220g, 680g lighter than the alloy version (both the CF and alloy bike utilise a 540g carbon fork). A full bike in medium weighs just over 9kg without pedals. The head angle has been slackened by 1.5-degrees to 69.5-degrees, which is neither crazy long nor too steep. The sizing convention is also a little different to the industry standard but there are still five sizes available: XS, S, M. L and XL. While my test bike was an XS, the top tube measured 55cm, which gives you an idea of how Merida has structured things.
While it's fast and capable on Tarmac, it is an off-road after all and it manages to soak up imperfections, choppy corrugated grasslands, and rocky terrain with relative ease. The head angle means control is maximised on technical downhills and the shorter stack, longer fork and 45mm tyre footprint equip it with all it needs to dismiss technical single track and descents with confidence. It's a superb bike validated by Matej Mohoric’s victory at the UCI Gravel World Championships 2023.
- Read my Merida Silex 10k first-ride review.
Best item of clothing - Maap Halftone Thermal Pro LS jersey
MAAP Halftone Thermal Pro LS Jersey, by Aaron Borrill
Maap is doing great things in the best cycling clothing space and the brand's fresh and trendy designs keep getting better with every new product drop. The Halftone Thermal Pro LS jersey pictured here is not an outright winter kit, it provides impressive insulation for the shoulder seasons. Ideal for use across both road and gravel disciplines, it comes in six sizes ranging from XS to XXL.
The jersey gets a brushed-back fleece-lined fabric which helps keep the chill at bay but its most endearing feature is the fabric's DWR water-repellent coating protects from light moisture and road spray. It also gets a few reflective details for better visibility. As always, the fit is typical of Maap – racy but still comfortable. If you're looking to stand out from some of the plain pastel kits that have become fashionable this season, the Maap Halftone Thermal Pro LS jersey is your best bet.
Best bike light - Ravemen FR160 Pro USB Rechargeable Front Light
Ravemen FR160 Pro USB Rechargeable Front Light, by off-road.cc
This might not be a bona fide bike light but as far as increased visibility on the road and trail goes, the Ravemen FR160 Pro USB Rechargeable Front Light is one of my go-to gear options on every ride. The light is only compatible with Garmin computers (for now) and weighs a paltry 56g.
It's got six modes: three constant and three flashing memory functions. In terms of runtime, the Constant High is 50 lumens (4 hours), Mid is 25 lumens (6.5 hours) and Low is 10 lumens (13.5 hours). Flashing mode is the brightest at 160 lumens which will last around 5.3 hours, Rapid flashing is 25 lumens (12.5 hours) and Slow flashing is 50 lumens (8 hours).
Because it adds a little bit of stack height when fitted in the Garmin mount, your cycling computer can sit a little higher above the bar than usual but this comes down to your computer mount. Having tested it on a variety of bikes (each of which had different out-front mount layouts) it sat flush on some while notably protruding above the bar on others. All in all, the Ravemen FR160 is a great little light albeit a little pricey at £45.
Best mountain bike helmet - POC Omne Beacon Mips helmet
POC Omne Beacon Mips helmet, by off-road.cc
Okay, so the POC Omne Beacon Mips might not be a mountain bike-specific helmet but it's so good, that it can be used across disciplines. As expected, it takes design and functional direction from the standard Omne helmet – of which there have been many iterations including the Omne Lite, Air Mips, Air Resistance Mips, Air WF Mips and Eternal. For me, the Omne Beacon rules them all and for one good reason: it has a built-in LED light at the rear.
The integrated, rechargeable LED light has different modes – flashing, vivid and steady. It takes just four hours to fully charge and will last over 30 hours. Because safety and visibility are the helmet's two main attributes, the Omne Beacon gets reflective panels at the back and comes in three tone-colour options: black and orange, white and orange, and green and orange. Adding this helmet to your kit list is a no-brainer. We're at a stage where it should be mandatory for all helmets to have lights incorporated into their design.
Best power meter - Rotor Inspider MTB
Rotor Insider MTB, by Aaron Borrill
The crankset pictured here is the brand-new Rotor Inspider MTB – a modular power meter that, like its road-going sibling, can be swapped across different platforms. The Inspider MTB has been designed specifically to deal with the rigours of off-road riding and will suit both mountain and gravel bikes.
The new unit has shaved off 32% from the previous system's weight and comes in at a staggering 100g on our scales (552g for the complete system comprising spindle, chainring and 175mm carbon Kapic crankarms). The feature list is as expected: dual leg power measurement (with a maximum deviation of +/-1.5%) cadence, L/R balance as well as 360-degree pedal analysis with torque vectoring. Having tested the road option, along with this MTB version, it's safe to say Rotor is one of the leading options among the best power meters.
Best groupset - SRAM Apex Eagle and Apex XPLR AXS
SRAM Apex Eagle rear derailleur, by SRAM
Yes, the Apex moniker might have represented an entry point into SRAM groupset ownership but the all-new SRAM Apex AXS is anything but budget. The new groupset benefits from a sophisticated visual application not too dissimilar to what’s found on Rival. The only real difference between Apex and Rival comes in the derailleur cage material, pulley wheel bearings, paint finish and aesthetic.
A 40T steel chainring is standard issue on all OEM builds and if you need to go bigger, there’s a 44T and 46T chainring available as an aftermarket option. Apex XPLR AXS can be had in one of three cassette options: 11-44T, 10-44T or 10-36T and, for those who ride more technical routes with steeper climbs and lots of singletrack, there's Apex AXS Eagle which benefits from an 11-50T cassette.
The kicker here is the pricing and accessibility of electronic groupset ownership. A SRAM Apex XPLR AXS groupset will set you back £1,227 / $1,195 / €1,371, while SRAM AXS Eagle comes in at £1,299 / $1,292 / €1,456. As it stands, there's nothing quite like it when it comes to value, performance and perceived quality.
Read all about it in my SRAM Apex Eagle first ride review or SRAM Apex XPLR AXS first ride review.
Best accessory - Zwift Play Controllers
Zwift Play Controllers, by off-road.cc
Yes, I ride and race on Zwift. I'm an eSports convert and also use platforms such as MyWhoosh, IndieVelo, WhiizUWorld and others to train and race. Zwift, however, is my favourite and has been ever since I took to the platform after dislocating my elbow and breaking my arm in a freak mountain bike crash in 2017. As cycling eSports has grown in prominence and credibility, so has the experience and, as pioneers in this space, Zwift has raised the bar by introducing the Zwift Play controllers.
Zwift Play is essentially a pair of controllers that you affix under your brake levers/shifters. On each controller, there's a four-button keypad interface (colours/letters on the right, cursors on the left). Underneath the button interface, there are two further controls finished in orange that take care of the steering and braking duties. While the myriad buttons might be overwhelming at first, it's all very intuitive, allowing you to control in-game actions such as ride-ons, powerups, steering and even braking. You can also select and control your entire experience from the comfort of your bike's controls – no leaning over and stretching to access your laptop anymore. For now, the controllers are only compatible with drop bars so we're talking road or gravel bikes.
In practice, the Zwift Play Controllers are a game-changer if you're an eSports racer. The steering functionality is superb, allowing you to move into or out of the draft as well, which fundamentally makes racing more tactical than before. At present, they're pegged at £99, a promotional price that will jump to £149 once the beta testing period is complete.
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