Cycling Gear Roundup 2026: Suspension, Groupsets and Mudguards Worth a Closer Look

Introduction

Not every new cycling product earns a place on a bike. Some are genuinely useful, some are interesting experiments, and some only make sense for a very specific kind of rider. The seven products in this roundup stood out for clear reasons: they either solve a recurring problem, offer something unusual at their price, or bring a feature that has been difficult to find until now.

The mix spans suspension components that add comfort to frames never designed for it, an affordable hydraulic groupset, two versions of a clip-on rear mudguard, a bottle built around gel storage, and a cycling shoe that doubles as everyday footwear. Each one is aimed at a different rider, which is exactly the point.

What We Looked At

These products were assessed on the things that still matter once the novelty wears off. Weight and travel figures matter for suspension parts, because they decide whether an upgrade genuinely changes how a bike feels or simply adds grams. Fitting matters for mudguards, since a guard that takes twenty minutes to install rarely gets used. Price matters for groupsets, where the gap between budget and premium is enormous. For accessories, the question is simpler: does the product remove a small, recurring annoyance from a ride?

A few of these items are still being evaluated on the bike rather than on paper, so where a figure comes from the manufacturer rather than from measured testing, it is described here as a claim rather than a confirmed result.

Redshift ShockStop Suspension Seat Post

The ShockStop seat post adds a small amount of suspension travel underneath the saddle, which is useful on frames that have no rear suspension at all. Redshift offers the post in two versions. The lighter one weighs 385 g and provides 20 mm of travel, while the heavier one weighs 500 g and provides 35 mm of travel. That is a meaningful difference in both directions, and 35 mm is a substantial amount of movement by seat post standards.

The spring rate can be changed to suit the weight of the rider, so the post is not locked into a single tune. For riders who spend long days on rough surfaces, the appeal is straightforward: more comfort without changing the frame.

Redshift ShockStop Suspension Stem

The matching stem moves the same idea to the front of the bike, adding suspension at the handlebars. The two versions sit closer together in weight than the seat posts: 268 g for the standard version and 233 g for the Pro version, so the upgrade cost buys a modest weight saving rather than a dramatically different component.

In practice both feel firm rather than soft, which is the right approach for a part that sits between your hands and the steering. Because it uses a standard stem interface, the design suits a very wide range of bikes, and that is the interesting part: it opens the door to a more comfortable ride on a bike that would never normally accept suspension.

L2 Hydraulic Groupset

L2 is a brand that sells mainly through online marketplaces, and this is its hydraulic groupset. The version discussed here is the aluminium option, which costs around £200, and ordering it without the retail box saves roughly £50. The rear derailleur uses a noticeably longer cage than the earlier road version, and the shifter shape takes cues from more familiar designs, with a button on the inside of the body for shifting down and three shifts available in the other direction. It is a one-by system.

The headline figures are a total weight of 1,136 g for the calipers, shifters and derailleur including hoses, and brake pads that use a Venturi-effect design. The manufacturer claims a heat dissipation area 300 percent higher than competing products, which is a bold claim rather than a measured outcome. The modular design means damaged parts can be replaced individually at low cost. What is not documented is the maximum cassette size, and no instruction manual is included in the box.

For riders willing to work things out themselves, the value proposition is clear: hydraulic braking and one-by shifting for a fraction of what the established brands charge.

Ass Savers Win Wing Road

The Win Wing Road is a clip-on rear mudguard built around a wishbone that attaches to the seat stays, with the wing itself clipping into place. Different mounting holes allow the angle to be adjusted, so the guard can sit lower for more coverage or be raised when clearance is tight. Fitting is entirely tool free.

The road version is the thinner of the two wings. At around £22 it costs a fraction of many clip-on guards and is light enough to leave on the bike between rides. It is best understood as a commuting and training accessory rather than a group-ride solution, since it does not protect the rider behind you.

Ass Savers Win Wing Gravel

The Win Wing Gravel follows the same design but uses a wider wing to suit wider tyres and looser surfaces. The same wishbone-and-clip arrangement applies, along with the same tool-free fitting and adjustable mounting holes.

In muddy conditions the design does what it promises. Riders still pick up dirt on their legs, but the spray that would normally travel up the back is largely contained. That makes it a practical option for gravel riding, commuting and wet-weather training, where the alternative is arriving with a stripe up your jersey. Ass Savers builds these guards in Portland, and the range has grown well beyond the original saddle-mounted guard.

For anyone who wants a guard that goes on in seconds and comes off just as quickly, this is one of the simpler answers available.

Squeezy Gel Bottle

The Squeezy bottle is a 750 ml bottle with a pouch inside for gel. You squeeze your gels into the pouch, screw the lid on, and fill the bottle with drink. The lid has two settings, numbered one and two, and the pouch end is rounded and finished rather than cut flat.

The idea comes from a familiar race habit: taping a gel to a bottle so it can be grabbed and opened in one movement. The Squeezy bottle builds that into the product itself. The pouch holds slightly more than the original 120 ml specification, which is enough for two large gels, and it works with nearly every gel on the market. Thick, paste-like gels are the exception, because they do not flow through the pouch. The pouch is not limited to gels either, and any liquid or gel that flows will work.

Adidas Velo Samba

The Velo Samba takes a familiar casual silhouette and adds an SPD cleat fitting to the sole, so the same shoe works on and off the bike. The sole is stiffer than it looks, which is what makes it rideable rather than merely walkable, and the tongue follows a football-boot style with a flap over the top.

Two colourways are available, each inspired by a different part of a ride: one by the coffee stop and one by the refreshment at the end. For riders who want a shoe that looks ordinary in a cafe and still clips in, this is a rare option.

Buying Advice

Which of these makes sense depends entirely on the problem you are trying to solve. If comfort on rough roads is the priority, the suspension seat post and the suspension stem are the most direct answer, and the choice between versions comes down to how much travel you want against how much weight you are willing to add. Riders on a tight budget who want hydraulic braking and one-by shifting will find the L2 groupset interesting, provided they are comfortable setting it up with limited documentation.

For wet-weather riding, the Win Wing Road and Win Wing Gravel are inexpensive, easy to fit and easy to live with, and the wider gravel version is the better match for anything beyond smooth tarmac. The Squeezy bottle is a niche product aimed at racers and long-distance riders who use gels regularly, while the Velo Samba suits riders who want a single pair of shoes for the bike and everything else.

Conclusion

None of these products is essential, but each one addresses a specific annoyance or limitation rather than adding novelty for its own sake. Suspension posts and stems bring comfort to frames that cannot otherwise have it, the L2 groupset makes hydraulic braking accessible at a low price, the Win Wing guards solve wet-weather spray for very little money, and the Squeezy bottle and Velo Samba tidy up small, recurring details of riding and racing.

If you are weighing up a purchase, start with the problem you notice most often on your own rides. That will point to one product here far more reliably than any spec sheet.