It’s New Years Eve Eve, the holiday that everyone looks forward to the most. It’s also Friday, and In the Drops sleeps for no one, so here I am; signed, sealed, delivered.
Given that all of us at Cyclist are currently on our jollies, there isn’t our normal round-up of this week’s content, though if you must know what’s going on, the majority of us use social media and are easily searchable.
We’ll still be publishing over Christmas though, so if you head to the homepage you can find all our gear of the year selections as well as a few bits of good content from the latest issue of the magazine and advice on teaching children how to ride.
How about some new stuff?
Products included in our weekly round-up are independently selected by our editorial team. Cyclist may earn an affiliate commission if you make a purchase through a retailer link. Learn more.
SunGod x Tekkerz Vulcanz sunglasses
You know SunGod’s Vulcans sunglasses. You know the Tekkerz cycling team. These are the Tekkerz edition of the Vulcans glasses, with a Z for extra personality.
If you don’t, the Vulcans are high quality cycling glasses fit for riding, racing or whatever else you fancy, with big lenses and a wealth of custom colour options, and Tekkerz is a London-based developmental racing team run and headed up by crit racing big dog Alec Briggs.
Briggs designed the team’s eye-catching kit and that style has since been used on a pair of Specialized shoes and now the Vulcanz.
Big photochromic lenses provide the functional goods, colourful frames provide the aesthetic. And word on the street is that wearing these actually increase a rider’s tekkerz, which means technique, if you didn’t know.
Buy now from Sungod (?165)
Bikepacking and Grand Bikepacking Journeys books
One of my very favourite pair of days in 2022 was a two-day bikepacking trip in the Peak District to test out Specialized and Fj?llr?ven’s new kit. That trip was run by Stef Amato of pannier.cc. Amato is a bikepacking and ultradistance legend and has a new book out, and an old one still out.
Both published by Gestalten, Bikepacking: Exploring the Roads Less Cycled came first, and is an introduction to the whole world of bikepacking including route planning, how to pack and a load of suggested trips.
Now, Grand Bikepacking Journeys: Riding Iconic Routes is out, featuring – you guessed it – grand bikepacking journeys. A collection of stunning rides from almost every corner of the globe that will give you big time FOMO and wanderlust.
These books are perfect for the coffee table with big pages brimming with incredible photography. Just like Cyclist.
Buy Bikepacking now from Waterstones (?35)
Buy Grand Bikepacking Journeys now from Waterstones (?40)
Jack Wolfskin Morobbia trousers
If you’ve followed any of my In the Drops this year, you’ll know I’ve been on a quest for normal looking clothes that are good for cycling, and having found a great pair of smart looking trousers last time, these more casual trousers from Jack Wolfskin are the next on my list.
While Jack Wolfskin do make proper bib tights, these are made for ‘gnarly trails and bikepacking trips’. They’re softshell trousers that are windproof on the front, water repellent, breathable and stretchy, what more could you want? Oh yeah a bunch of pockets to carry stuff and an adjustable waistband to make sure it fits.
The brand also say the Texashield Softshell Antimicroplastic material that front section is made from is specifically designed to reduce the number of microplastics released during washing to prevent the environmental clog those particles cause.
Importantly they’re casual enough to wear them out and about and won’t get ruined while riding bikes, because that’s what they’re made for.
Buy now from Jack Wolfskin (?90)
What we’re into this week: No More Jockeys
For each In the Drops I put together a playlist of new songs released since my last article, and I also stuck some of my favourite albums of the year in my end of year list if you’re interested, this time out I’ve been too busy to keep up, so I’ll carry my 11th playlist on until next time.
Instead, I’m going to recommend the YouTube series No More Jockeys. This thing will change your life.
A very simple format, Alex Horne, Tim Key and Mark Watson get on a Zoom together and play a game they invented called ‘No More Jockeys’.
They take it in turns to name notable figures (this is a loose description as it’s mostly famous people but it’s basically anyone they know) before adding a category that their figure belongs to that is then banned from the game, so if any future plays fit into a category in play then the player is out (which can create some debate).
For example you could say ‘Lance Armstrong, no more cheats’ and people like Diego Maradona and Bill Clinton would be unavailable.
It’s the players that make it so good though, their clever and comedic minds play niche categories and figures, and the in-between ‘banter’ is exceptional.
Episodes are released every Friday when a set is ongoing, but the most recent one just finished so you can catch up on every single one before it’s back. It never fails to put a smile on my face.
Watch No More Jockeys on YouTube
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Get in first with fast-track entry to the show and take advantage of the complimentary cloakroom
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