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Pedaling to work on a mountain bike is like carrying around a 17-inch gaming laptop as a PDA. Here’s how to save yourself some effort without sacrificing comfort. – Robert Capps
Bell Metropolis
It looks as dorky as other helmets, but the Metropolis has cool options, like a detachable rearview mirror ($15), a breathable rain cover ($15), a mount for a rear blinker ($10), and an insulation kit for cold days ($25).
$70 www.bellbikehelmets.com
Light & Motion Vega LED
Unlike similar rechargeables, this one is self-contained, so there’s no hefty battery pack to lash to your bike. Plus, the 3-watt Luxeon LED makes sure you’ll see and be seen.
$180 www.bikelights.com
Trek Soho
Designed for commuters, this ride is pimped with extras like a thermal coffee mug for the water bottle cage, rubber trim on the top tube to prevent scrapes when leaned against poles, and handlebars that hold your U-lock.
$1,260 www.trekbikes.com
A regular cotton t-shirt will feel like a clammy dishrag stuck to your back if you attempt any serious exercise. Real athletes opt for shirts made of natural or synthetic fibers that regulate body temp and transport sweat away from your skin. These shirts, tested by both male and female runners, feature smooth seams to prevent chafing, antibacterial treatments that fight odor, and tailoring that accommodates especially heavy perspiration areas like pits and the upper back. – Kate Siber
What to Look for
Antimicrobials: Odor-causing bacteria love synthetic fabrics. So choose garments that incorporate silver ions, which kill germs and reduce reek. Or try a shirt infused with an amino acid derived from crab shells – debuting from Patagonia this fall.
Wool: Merino’s crimped, naturally antimicrobial fibers suck up moisture to keep you cool.
Weight: Sleeve length is a personal preference, but shirts should be sleek and lightweight under multiple layers. That way you can remove garments to stay comfortable all day.
Construction: To avoid chafing, select seamless bodies and flatlocked seams – fabric is layered, not folded, and then stitched.
Brooks HVAC Seamless Long Sleeve
This shirt has an uncanny ability to cool you when you’re hot and warm you when you’re cold. The secret? Body mapping. Polyester, nylon, spandex, and silver-fused threads are woven in varying weights, depending on where the fabric touches the body. (Densely woven material covers the front and lower back; a looser weave covers the armpits and upper back.) The odor-eating, heat-conducting silver also draws sweat away from skin. Add a smooth, pleasant feel and a seamless trunk and the result is a versatile layer worth every cent of its shocking sticker price.
WIRED: Plastic-baggie-like pockets on sleeves warm hands during cold runs. Snug fit works well under layers. No body seams or irritating tags equals no chafing.
TIRED: Silky fabric rides up. No XS or XL sizes. Short-sleeved version not out till January.
$98 www.brooksrunning.com
Icebreaker Superfine GT Elite T
WIRED: Merino wool so light and soft it feels like cotton. Tiny pockets in the fabric trap air to regulate your temperature in variable conditions. Naturally breathable, wicking, and antimicrobial. Sexy color options.
TIRED: Lots of clams for a bunch of sheep fur. Woven fabric catches on, well, everything. Possible moth bait.
$89 www.icebreaker.com
Helly Hansen Versa Trailwizard Short Sleeve
WIRED: Soft, stretchy waffled polypropylene on back and sides. Thicker fabric on front and sleeves provides lightweight wind protection.
TIRED: Stank after first use. Available only in embarrassingly bright or deadly boring colors.
$45 www.hellyhansen.com
Nike Sphere Macro React Short Sleeve
WIRED: Body mapped with three different polyester fabrics. Itty-bitty vents in the cloth on the back open when you sweat and close when you dry off. Some flatlocked seams.
TIRED: Patchwork of materials makes shirt feel heavy. Hot for layering. No bacteria-proofing.
$65 www.niketown.com
Carbon nanotubes and proprietary alloys give these sticks the oomph to turn your doubles into homers. Just make sure your weapon of choice is legal in your league. – Renita Mack
Worth Mayhem 120
WIRED: Balls explode off huge sweet spot – great for line-drive and power hitters; if Barry Bonds had this stick, he wouldn’t have needed Balco. No break-in necessary. Excellent grip.
TIRED: Price requires a Major League salary.
$300 www.worthsports.com
Easton Synergy CNT Plus
WIRED: Carbon-nanotube construction balances weight to make it feel lighter than its 27 ounces.
Easy to get around on fast pitches. Excellent durability. TIRED: Didn’t blast balls as impressively as the Worth.
$290 www.eastonsports.com
Mizuno Techfire Crush G3
WIRED: Approved by all major softball associations, unlike the Worth and the Easton, which aren’t ASA OK’d. Good distance once broken in.
TIRED: Slippery grip with sloppy tape job hard to hold, with or without batting gloves.
$200 www.mizunousa.com
DeMarini 2007 White Steel
WIRED: Perfect for city softball leagues with multiwall-bat restrictions. Sleek design. Reasonable price. Steel barrel ensures it will last forever.
TIRED: Hollow, tinny sound when the ball comes off the bat. Gets less distance than other models.
$190 www.demarini.com
Want to beat Basso? Upset Ullrich? Vanquish Vinokourov? You’ll need speed, power, and serious data. These high tech cycling computers help you maximize your training with heart rate, calorie, and cadence information. See you at the front of the pack. – Mathew Honan
Garmin Edge 305 HR+CAD
WIRED: Monitors 33 parameters, including grade, elevation, and speed. Customizable interface displays eight data fields. Easiest install. Virtual opponent always ready for a race. Barometric altimeter and 3-D satellite tracking graph your climbs and descents.
TIRED: Expensive – just one buck shy of Haiti’s average annual wage.
$399 www.garmin.com
CicloSport CM 628
WIRED: Cadence sensor mounts on rear wheel. Heart-rate monitor with alerts keeps you in optimal training zone. No button-punching: Display auto-scrolls through data fields. Removable rubber O-ring mount makes switching bikes a snap.
TIRED: Cadence sensor sold separately ($50). German-to-English translation of directions less than clear.
$220 www.ciclosportusa.com
Vetta VL 110 T2X
WIRED: Large numbers easy to see, like a bike-mounted billboard. Nice, fat buttons. Interference-resistant transmitter prevents cross-talk with other cyclometers during group rides.
TIRED: Tracks only 14 parameters. No heart-rate monitor or training zones.
$180 www.vetta.com
Polar S725X
WIRED: Time, distance, and heart-rate-based training programs warm you up, max you out, and cool you down. Connects to a PC to graph training data. Can be worn on wrist or mounted to handlebars.
TIRED: Baffling interface forced us to RTFM. Tiny buttons. Small display. Cadence sensor not included ($40). Front-wheel mount rules out use on indoor trainers.
$350 www.polarusa.com
Bell Metropolis, Light & Motion Vega LED and Trek Soho David Clugston, styled by Shannon Amos/Artist Untied
Bell Metropolis, Light & Motion Vega LED and Trek Soho David Clugston, styled by Shannon Amos/Artist Untied
Brooks HVAC Seamless Long Sleeve
Brooks HVAC Seamless Long Sleeve 
Icebreaker Superfine GT Elite T Peter Samuels
Icebreaker Superfine GT Elite T Peter Samuels
Helly Hansen Versa Trailwizard Short Sleeve Peter Samuels
Helly Hansen Versa Trailwizard Short Sleeve Peter Samuels
Nike Sphere Macro React Short Sleeve Peter Samuels
Nike Sphere Macro React Short Sleeve Peter Samuels
Worth Mayhem 120
Worth Mayhem 120 
Easton Synergy CNT Plus
Easton Synergy CNT Plus 
Mizuno Techfire Crush G3
Mizuno Techfire Crush G3 
DeMarini 2007 White Steel
DeMarini 2007 White Steel 
Garmin Edge 305 HR+CAD
Garmin Edge 305 HR+CAD 
CicloSport CM 628
CicloSport CM 628 
Vetta VL 110 T2X
Vetta VL 110 T2X 
Polar S725X
Polar S725X Wired Test:
