Welcome to the very first Five Cool Things of 2024. Kicking off the year, we've got kit from Scott and POC as well as Maxxis's very latest gravel tyre and the Ride Concepts TNT shoe. We'll also take a look at the top stories from the week.

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Over the Christmas period, we were hot on bringing you our top advice on winter cycling, whether that's how to ride in muddy conditions or everything you need to know about mountain bike mud tyres. And ripe for the new year, our Lance brought you 10 cycling New Year resolutions for 2024. As winter takes its hold, it's also important to keep on top of your winter bicycle maintenance.

Looking at our reviews, we've published full assessments of the HJC Bellus, Smith Network and MET Parachute MCR helmets spanning gravel through to enduro riding. We also took a look at Rockrider's Race 900S, a £3,000 carbon-fibre cross-country bike which was praised for its mind-boggling value but also its impressive ride character. To top things off, Endura's latest MT500 Spray Gilet was awarded a respectable four stars and YT Industries' Gravity Cordura pants took home top marks.

The first week of the year is often very quiet on the news front but exciting movements in the gravel events space have given riders the first taste of 2024, namely, the two-day Scott Frontier 300 and Battle on the Beach, te latter of which completely sold out in less than 24 hours.

Fizik Terra Alpaca X5 + Tool Kit

£120

Fizik says that the Terra Alpaca saddle is designed especially for full-suspension mountain bikes to help you explore the toughest trails around. But what's extra cool about this particular saddle is that it comes equipped with the brand's Alpaca tool carrier and multi-tool that's slung underneath the saddle. This is home to a 12-feature multi-tool that's sorted with all of the Allens you'll need, flat and Phillips screwdrivers and T25 and T10 Torx wrenches. On top of that, there's an inflator head built-in. The Alpaca carrier can then house two 16g Co2 cartridges.

As for the saddle itself, it's built for comfort when the dropper post is up and down. It's 145mm wide but there's a gradual transition from the flat nose to the wings to offer easy movement over the saddle. The Terra Alpaca is built with a closed-loop design for strength and improved weight distribution and the saddle's wings are flexible to stop the rider's inner legs from bruising.

Finally, the X5 in the name denotes the combination of a carbon fibre-reinforced nylon shell with S-Alloy rails. For those looking to save a bit of cash, the Terra Alpaca is available without the tool carrier, posing a £30 saving.

• www.fizik.com

Scott Aqua GTX LF gloves

£70

With a Gore-Tex membrane, Scott's Aqua GTX LF gloves look ideal for those rainy rides. Weather protection is boosted through the inclusion of extended polychloroprene cuffs that should reach under a jacket's cuff. These gloves are insulated, too, and use a zip closure found at the sides to make slipping them on and off as easy as it gets.

Wrapping up the Aqua GTX LF gloves is the Second Skin palm padding and reflective print on the back of the hand to add a bit of visibility.

• www.scott-sports.com

POC VPD Air+ Tee

£220

Next up we've got the VPD Air+ Tee from POC, which is the brand's body protector that provides comprehensive protection through strategic placement of its VPD pads at the back, chest and shoulders. It's been put together to suit the riders who want the most protection possible but without adding bulk, and its three-layer back protector meets Level 1 (1621-2) certification.

The shoulder and chest pads don't offer quite as high protection but they've been added to blend high levels of comfort and ventilation with some protective qualities. There's no split in the chest pad either, as the zip runs along the side of the body, meaning that the protection it offers is uninterrupted.

The VPD Air+ Tee's protective panels sit inside a 3D mesh fabric which has been chosen to increase airflow and ventilation and the fabric is moisture-wicking.

• www.pocsports.com

Maxxis Reaver

£50

The Maxxis Reaver is the newest tyre in the range and it's been crafted especially for gravel racing. For maximum speed, there's a low profile centre tread made up of diamond knurling and there are larger central paddles to provide traction when braking. Similar to a semi-slick mountain bike tyre, the Reaver features larger and more pronounced shoulder knobs for increased traction when cornering.

Coming in three models, the Reaver is available in 40 and 45mm widths and only in 700c. All tyres come with foldable beads, dual compound rubber and EXO/TR carcasses. There is also a choice of black and tan sidewalls.

• www.maxxis.com

Ride Concepts TNT shoes

£160

The TNT flat pedal shoes from Ride Concepts are built to take on downhill and big mountain riding, while being dependable when building trails. They get Ride Concept's newest outsole which is built using DST 4.0 MAX GRIP rubber and features 12mm hexagons cut into the tread. Speaking of the tread, the heel and toe areas are shaped with recesses for traction off of the bike.

These shoes get a microfibre synthetic upper to fend off abrasion and harsh weather and there's an asymmetrical medial collar that's sorted with a touch of D3O for added protection. The midsole is high-rise and comes with even more D3O and there's a 40mm Powerstrap for security on the foot. Similarly to the Accomplice Clip Boas, the tongues of the TNT are fully gusseted to keep dirt and mud out of the shoe.

• rideconcepts.com

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