It's 'Upgrade Your Ride Week' on Cycling Weekly: your guide to the best kit and component choices for riding and racing

From 12-16th December, here at Cycling Weekly we'll be celebrating everything upgrades, showing you how to get the most out of the bike you own in the most cost-effective way - so you can better hit your goals and enjoy your riding to the full.

But if you already have a pretty clear idea of the kit your after - or if you want to simply take advantage of the many discounts that abound at this time of year - you can check out our best Christmas bike sales page for all the biggest current reductions.

Although incredibly pricey upgrades such as oversized pulley wheels and chain wax that boldly promises quite marginal gains might stick most firmly in our minds - it's parsimony and value for money that we are really celebrating here.

For instance, the simple and inexpensive upgrades that will make a second-hand bike run like new again - we'll take you through all the components, from gear cables to brake pads, and how to adjust them to get the best ride for the minimum spend.

In addition to our more utilitarian tips, we'll share the most cost effective ways to boost your performance on your bike, which components it's worth spending and where you're better off saving. Spoiler: step away from the carbon stems and consider your tires (plus what's inside them) instead.

Whether it's making your bike more capable off-road or giving yourself an aero speed boost without spending any more, we've got a full spectrum of advice to give.

And finally, we'll be sharing the upgrades and the kit that have most impressed each of us in the Cycling Weekly team over the last twelve months. From the winter kit of our staunchest outdoor riders to the bikepacking and gravel kit of our adventuring staff members, we'll be sharing the urban utility gear and the uncompromisingly performance-oriented picks over our last year of riding - so stay tuned for that!

That's all coming up, but if you can't wait and want to get stuck in right now, we can give you the lowdown on the:

1. Best winter tires for road cycling 

2. Best gravel bike tires

3. Best road wheels

4. Best gravel wheels

5. Best power meter

6. Best bike saddles

7. Best bar tape

8. Best bike fenders / mudguards

And if your winter wardrobe is lacking in a certain area, now could be a really good time to drop into our best Christmas bike sales page to pick up the missing item in your cold weather layering system to make chilly rides a more comfortable affair.

Upgrade Your Ride Week content schedule

We'll be adding hyperlinks as the pages go live...

1. The best bike upgrades: where to spend and where to save

2. Winter warrior kit picks: Luke Friend's Gear of the Year 2022

3. Nine ways to make yourself and your bike more aero for free

4. Urban-utility-e-cargo-bike special: Hannah Bussey's Gear of the Year 2022, including Raleigh's Stride 2 eCargo Bike

5. Five simple upgrades to get the best out of your gravel bike

6. North American Editor's picks: Anne-Marije Rook's Gear of the Year 2022, including Liv's Macha Pros

7. Five cost-effective upgrades to make a second-hand bike feel like new again

8. Bikepacking adventure picks: Stefan Abram's Gear of the Year 2022

9. Data-driven roadie selection: Simon Smythe's Gear of the Year 2022

10. Everything gravel - racing and riding: Anna Marie Abram's Gear of the Year 2022, including Giro's Sectors

11.  New handlebars are a cost-effective way to improve your ride (sponsored feature)