Conor McGregor training on a road bike for UFC 229 with Attaquer and FiftyOne Bikes | Spd Pedals

I still believe that laces aren’t the best pick for trail riding, or cross country and cyclocross racing. They hold dirt, get caught on things and are finicky to get off when you see a leech enter your shoe (perhaps too specific of an example, but the event is still fresh).

The Ksyrium wheelsThe wheels by themselves are good wheels (remember, I ran them with at least 10 different tubed tyres before trying tubeless). They feel light and fast. They look pretty bling with one yellow spoke and some matching yellow stickers on the rim. I normally run carbon rims in my race bike, so I had to go out and purchase some alloy-friendly brake pads for these rims.

Although it gives both Shimano and Look’s higher-end pedals a run for their money in terms of price, the Xpro 10 is actually the least expensive of Time’s three Xpro pedals. While the Xpro 10 has a hollow steel axle and steel bearings, the Xpro 12 (£259.99) has a solid titanium axle with steel bearings and is lighter at a claimed 94g per pedal. The top-end Xpro 15 is a whopping £399.99, weighing just 87g per pedal (claimed) with CeramicSpeed bearings and a hollow titanium axle. Essentially, all three are identical in shape and you get the new carbon fairing on the Xpro 10s, so unless you’re really fussy about weight and really want ceramic bearings, they’re probably the best to go for.

Now I couldn’t use anything else. They are just pheneomenal compared to the various Looks I usually use. They need broken in first of all as the spring is super stiff, but once done then it only takes a little force to clip in. Actually finding the insert point is a few weeks of muscle memory (I stuck them on the indoor trainer first which sped this process up).

Flat pedals have not yet evolved into the One True flat pedal design, but things have never been better for those of us who ride them. The best pedals in the world turn out to have a zone of fuzzy personal preference around them and, once you find yours, they won’t make you into a riding god by themselves, but they’ll certainly help.

Not gonna lie, "oh-shit-I-can’t-clip-out" falls can and do happen. Even 13-time cyclocross national champion Katie Compton has had it happen—most recently while she was recovering from a sprained knee. "I waited until the last minute to stop and couldn’t unclip," she says. "And I tipped over." But you know what? Not a big deal.

15 of the best 2018 & 2019 road bikes under £1,000 — top choices at Cycle To Work scheme prices

Funn’s latest clipless pedals were an immediate hit with me. The platform is wider than on many competitors’ offerings, with a shape akin to a flat pedal.

Maier noted that most BMXers use mountain bike clipless pedals, but that HT Components is one brand that markets clipless models specifically for BMX use.

Time is known primarily for its road pedals but its new, seriously pricey Speciale clips are designed to meet the high demands of trail riding and enduro racing.

In recent years, we’ve seen a marked pushback against the go-fast mentality of cycling in the rise of bikepacking, adventure and gravel riding.

Rode it from Innertkirchen in June, having first done the Grimsel pass in freezing rain & fog. It’s a long old climb, but never feels overly…