Finally, it’s your favourite time of the week. It’s time to get tuck in and get #InTheDrops, and this one should be a whopper, with shiny new bits from Rapha, Pas Normal Studios, Hutchinson and Cybersight.
We’ve had some great content online this week, none more great than my chat with Amy and Kyle Hudson on this week’s episode of the Cyclist Magazine Podcast, which you can listen to on the Cyclist magazine app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Elsewhere, the tech world has been busy, with a new Specialized S-Works Diverge and new Canyon Grail, the launch of Shimano’s new SPD-SLR pedal system, tech editor Sam Challis’s Tech Talk newsletter on 32in wheels and deputy editor James Spender’s review of the Argon 18 Anti Matter gravel race bike.
On the pro side, Robyn Davidson rounded up the nine biggest takeaways from the Vuelta, looked back on Enric Mas’s long journey to the top, interviewed Pinarello Q36.5 manager Doug Ryder, and looked at Lidl-Trek’s 2027 leadership dilemma.
And in a combination of both, I crunched the numbers on which bike brands, groupsets and wheels were ridden to the most victories at Grand Tours this season.
Let’s get In the Drops.
Rapha Brevet Gore-Tex rain jacket
We are officially so back. Gore-Tex had been dominating the waterproof game for decades until the war on forever chemicals (rightly) began, culminating in the clampdown on PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. That led to the entire waterproofing industry having to U-turn and find a new direction in the quest for waterproof and breathable clothing.
With its Autumn/Winter ’26 line, Rapha has implemented Gore-Tex’s Bluesign-approved PFAS-free material, made with an ePE (expanded polyethylene) membrane. The new Brevet Gore-Tex rain jacket, pictured here, uses a three-layer Black Diamond certified ‘guaranteed to keep you dry’ Gore-Tex fabric. That sounds pretty good doesn’t it?
Here’s some early waterproofing in action. The water drops mostly just rolled off the jacket and Gore-Tex fans will be pleased to know that when I picked it up, it did, indeed, shake dry.
The jacket is fully seam taped and uses a two-way AquaGuard zipper to finish off the water protection, and the classic stripes – or hoops? – are reflective.
Alongside the waterproofing, which I’m sure will get plenty of testing over the next few months, it’s super-lightweight, using a 58gsm 3L ripstop fabric that helps to make it durable and packable, with a claimed weight of 142g for the size M (I’m wearing an L here).
Pas Normal Studios Off-Race Corduroy trousers
The non-cycling cycling product category just doesn’t stop growing. I don’t know if this is just so sponsored pros, influencers and company employees can spend their whole lives in cycling kit-branded stuff, but honestly some of it is really nice.
On display here are the very fashionable new corduroy trousers from Pas Normal Studios. They don’t say the brand name anywhere on them, the only logo being the small diamond near the right knee – which is actually reflective – and if I went in blind and you told me these were Uniqlo I would believe you without doubt.
They’re certainly not as cheap as Uniqlo at £210, but they have rear pockets, big front pockets – which also include a phone pocket and an elastic loop to hook keys on – a small zip pocket on the side, snap buttons on the hem to hold the material in if you’re riding in them, and easy adjustment via the grosgrain belt.
Hutchinson Ultimate Bike Care kit
The long, dry summer is over, it’s bike cleaning season. Rejoice.
Thankfully French brand Hutchinson has released the Ultimate Bike Care kit, which includes a bike cleaner, chain cleaner, all-season chain lube, and a nice big microfibre.
The bike cleaner is foaming, non-abrasive and uses a biodegradable formula; the chain cleaner is safe for all components and leaves no greasy residue; the chain lube is oil-based for use throughout the bad-weather season and Hutchinson says it leaves a long-lasting hydrophobic protective coating; and the microfibre has a big Hutchinson logo on it.
Cybersight Zenith Pro smart glasses
Insert jokes about sci-fis such as Blade Runner and Star Trek or Berghain-esque raves. I’m blaming the angle.
These are Cybersight’s Zenith Pro sports sunglasses and, aside from the aesthetics, they have one big talking point. You might be able to notice the little extra lenses behind the main lens, that’s for displaying the data from your bike computer or watch directly in your line of sight, meaning you theoretically would never need to look down while riding.
It shows a simplified display so it’s not distracting and can show all the classic metrics in a customisable view, and even shows turn-by-turn navigation and pairs with rearview radar to show you the traffic on the road around you.
They do provide sound and include a microphone to talk through them, and importantly there’s no camera like the creepy Oakley Meta glasses.
I’m yet to hook these up to my computer, partly because I’m slightly nervous wearing them outside of the house. I’ll try to update you on how I get on next time.
It does seem like there is now a big push on this technology, let’s see if it does actually catch on.
What we’re into this week: THE G MEN
I haven’t been listening to much music in the month or so since my last In the Drops because I’ve been doing stuff, so a playlist update will have to wait until next time. Apologies to my loyal fan.
Thankfully the NFL is back and the New York Giants might just be good again. New, proven coach: tick. Exciting young quarterback with questionable views: tick. Insane running back with no sense of danger: tick. Loaded defence: tick. OBJ: tick. Vibes: tick tick tick tick.
The season got underway with a huge statement win over the Cowboys, next up on the hitlist, the Super Bowl favourites LA Rams. Pressure? No. Expectation? No. Optimism? Lots. Sentences? Short. In the Drops? Done.