As we say above, price is the most common top consideration for people buying cycling gear…the same goes for buying Cycling.

Away from long, steep climbs, aerodynamic drag is usually the primary force slowing you down. Steve Sayers / Our Media Because of the non-linear relationship between speed and the power required to overcome aerodynamic drag, the slower rider will see a larger percentage increase in their average speed than the faster one.

Force input accuracy is how precisely your steering inputs translate to the handlebar – how easy is it to make the exact steering adjustment you intended to. Drop handlebars have been modernised recently, with more ergonomic and comfortable designs hitting the market. However, the design remains incredibly similar to the original design of the drop handlebar, and many manufacturers still manufacture drop handlebars in the traditional shape. These drop handlebars offer many different advantages to the rider, with some of the main advantages being three very different hand positions to use - riders can ride with their hands on the hoods, on the bars or in the drops of the handlebar - these different positions not only allow the rider to maximise performance and efficiency but also to be able to change hand position regularly enough to prevent fatigue.

As we’ll see in the results, even gains as small as a third of a watt can save a handful of seconds over the course of a 60km ride. The ends of a wider handlebar, for example, have to travel further when turning, which slows down the speed of steering for a given force input. This should make it easier to steer the bike accurately and not over or understeer.The best part about cycling is that you need very little to get going. There are a number of must-have pieces of equipment such as a helmet, high visibility clothing and lights, but apart from this small group, you don’t need anything extra.