Speaking of which, Velo has comments now. That\u2019s one of the reasons I know people enjoyed the Strava video but let me know if there\u2019s a different video you like or want to see me cover something I haven\u2019t. I read every comment and respond to most. You can also just find me directly, not through an article, via my Outside Activity Feed profile<\/a>. Feel free to tag me in messages if you have questions.<\/p>\n The other thing I talked about in 2025 was distance riding. I put it out there that I\u2019d be riding 500km in one shot. Now that it\u2019s the end of 2025, I didn\u2019t get it done. I did cover 600km in a weekend (on a Colnago Y1RS)<\/a> but that\u2019s not quite the same. I also promised my wife I was done thinking about that distance then immediately started thinking about it again. Don\u2019t tell her.<\/p>\n Also, if you have a good 500km scenario let me know in the comments so I can plan for it. I\u2019ll make a video of it too.<\/p>\n So that\u2019s the theme but not everything is a direct lift and there\u2019s nuance to all of it. Diving in, here\u2019s what really stood out to me in 2025.<\/p>\n For years I\u2019ve tried the latest Google Pixel watches and I\u2019ve seen them steadily improve. Each generation is better than the last and with the Google Pixel Watch 4<\/a> the battery life is at a point where it makes sense to wear all the time without much compromise. The challenge for my own training is that I need a bit more of a fitness ecosystem than Google can provide. I\u2019m looking at not just watch data but also power data through my bike computer and I want that all as one unified data stream.<\/p>\n Not everyone has that same need though and I recognize that. The Google Pixel watch can offer a lot of utility depending on your needs. To try and capture that experience I hand it to my wife and constantly interview her about it. I\u2019m always looking for a way to write about the Pixel watch with framing that makes sense and it matches the needs of my wife.<\/p>\n At one point my wife was a cyclist. She commuted 20 miles twice a day and rode on the weekends. She had a nice Trek Madone with Ultegra. Unfortunately those days are behind her as she now lives with Lupus and performance has taken a back seat to making it through the days.<\/p>\n She doesn\u2019t need an ecosystem, she just needs some health data and a bridge to her phone. The Pixel watch is perfect for her and I\u2019ll write about that at some point but this year the Pixel watch created an unexpected way for us to connect. My chosen platform has been Garmin for a number of years, precisely because of the larger ecosystem, and the Garmin Venu X1 (plus the Forerunner I was using before) has a training readiness score.<\/p>\n I look at training readiness a lot and this year we realized that the Pixel Watch has something similar. As I explored the use of training readiness, so did my wife. As we\u2019ve learned how to better use it, it\u2019s become a shared language for us. For me training readiness might inform a zone 1 vs zone 4 workout and for my wife it might mean a trip to the farmers market vs staying in. That\u2019s obviously different but it\u2019s a way for us to understand each other and it helps me empathize when her number is really low. I might not ever know what she is feeling but I understand a low readiness score.<\/p>\n If this was a product review article I\u2019d say if you are in the Google ecosystem there\u2019s a lot to love about the latest Pixel 4. If you care about fitness from a watch it offers a lot of what you can get from Garmin with a little different focus. It\u2019s also a convenient way to talk to Gemini although my wife doesn\u2019t use that feature.<\/p>\n For my best things of 2025 my focus is a little different. This is really about finding a connection through data. A way for me to understand another person\u2019s experience is always worth celebration. It\u2019s also been a lifeline for my wife as she deals with a chronic condition and I\u2019m grateful for that as well.<\/p>\n That got a little deep, let\u2019s go light (photo pun) next. Remember how I talked about my joy at the opportunity to produce video? Well still photography goes hand in hand with that. I tend to talk about it a little less at this point because I\u2019ve been so comfortable with it for so long. The two are intertwined though and I\u2019m really grateful for a few pieces of gear that allow me to create work in both mediums I\u2019m very proud of.<\/p>\n Last year I talked about my Nikon camera but this year it got upleveled to the Nikon Z6 III<\/a>. It is glorious but not because it changes my talking head footage or still photography. I use the Nikon Z 105 macro lens<\/a> and the Nikon Z 50mm<\/a> for stills and video respectively and none of that has changed. What\u2019s changed with the Z6III is that I no longer have to carry a second camera. The same camera that captures my still shots also captures the footage you see as background when I talk about details in a review. That footage is 4k at 120FPS and there\u2019s not many supposed hybrid cameras that will actually capture that footage. The Z6III lets me keep the full frame goodness of the Z6 but my whole workflow is orders of magnitude easier. I am incredibly grateful for that.<\/p>\n To actually gather that b-roll footage though, I use a gimbal. I bought the DJI RS 3 Mini which has since been replaced with the DJI RS4 Mini<\/a> and not a single shoot goes by that I don\u2019t thank myself for this decision. High quality b-roll looks smooth and I don\u2019t have a lifetime of practice tucking my elbows to get that. I want my shots looking silky smooth and that means stabilization. I couldn\u2019t make the videos I do without it.<\/p>\n Then, if I continue on the video thread, there\u2019s the action camera parts of my review videos. This is always in flux but I\u2019ve started to settle into a level of comfort with a few tools. The first is the Insta360 X5<\/a>. For actually talking to the camera while riding, the Insta360 X5 is orders of magnitude better than anything else on the market. A 360 camera in general is significantly better for dealing with framing while you ride and the shape of the x5 makes it so much easier to hold than the competition. The real star of that camera is the audio though. I can ride along and talk to it while sounding clear. If you want to read more on that check out my Insta360 X5 review<\/a>.<\/p>\n The only problem with that camera is it\u2019s a little harder to mount on a chest harness. I can do it, and it works well enough, but I\u2019ve found the GoPro Max 2<\/a> works better. A 360 camera is even more important for a chest shot since you move up and down so much. Then from there, the GoPro has arguably better video output in full sun but mostly it\u2019s smaller and square with easier controls. I don\u2019t have to hunt for a button because it\u2019s easy to find and when I do find it there\u2019s a super loud beep to tell me the camera is recording. The final win is the square shape that means the recording is centered on the bars. I don\u2019t have a review of this yet but if you aren\u2019t talking to the camera then I\u2019d consider the GoPro vs the Insta360.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also added the HoverAir X1 Pro Max<\/a> to my arsenal this year. I still sometimes make videos without it (mostly because of rain or travel) but it really takes things up a notch when I can use it. It just adds a little sprinkle of something different to talk about and it\u2019s a unique point of view. If making content on a bike is your thing it\u2019s worth adding this tool.<\/p>\n There are also a couple of pieces of gear I use for still shots. The two most important in this category are stabilization. I use a Manfrotto tripod with a geared head to stabilize my camera. The legs themselves are at least 10-years old but the modern equivalent is the Manfrotto MT055XPRO3<\/a> and just like mine it\u2019s not too expensive, rock solid, and the center column is able to go horizontal.<\/p>\n Then I also stabilize the bikes I take pictures of and for that I use Feedback Sports Rakk 2.0 stand<\/a>. This is incredibly important because I use that geared head to shoot (typically) 9-shots to make a final hero image. I need everything stable for that to work perfectly but I also need to take my time and don\u2019t want to see any of the expensive bikes I spend time with hit the ground. There\u2019s a bunch of minimal stands out there and none of them stand up to wind like the Feedback sports does. It\u2019s also great in my living room for whatever bike is being ridden the next day. I talked about it when I covered how I store my bikes <\/a>if you are looking for a bit more info.<\/p>\n This is a bike magazine, perhaps I should talk about bikes? The reason for the departure is that I talk about bikes all year long. Still, I have my favorites. You can find our group favorites in the Road Bike of The Year article but if I was the only one voting, with the same basic structure of looking at 2025 bikes, I\u2019d vote for the Scott Addict RC<\/a>. I just love riding this bike.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a surprising choice if you listen to the Velo podcast<\/a> much. I\u2019m the aero guy. I love talking about aerodynamics on a bike and despite reviewing the Colnago Y1RS<\/a> and the Cervelo S5<\/a>, it\u2019s the Scott Addict I\u2019m picking as a favorite.<\/p>\n The reason for Scott Addict RC love is a combination of storytelling and ride feel. The first of those is likely the most controversial. Sometimes people think that everything should be about hard numbers and performance. This feature means this and that makes it better than bike x, y, and z. Except how many people actually buy bikes with only that information?<\/p>\n Bikes are expensive and at least part of the equation is the emotional piece. You want to feel connection to a bike as well as have it perform in specific ways. When it comes to the Scott, the team told me an amazing story about every aspect of the bike and the development process. As part of that they even included the graphic design team and at that point I was hooked. I know it\u2019s marketing but you can get me every time if you tell me that you only chose visually lightweight colors that also have physically low weight penalties for your lightweight bike. Come on, that is a glorious coffee stop discussion.<\/p>\n As I said though, a bike also has to perform. Having ridden a number of lightweight bikes since the Addict, I\u2019ve come to love the fact that it\u2019s a WorldTour race bike. It\u2019s stiff and aggressive but never punishing. The geometry is long and low and it feels amazing to push the bike hard. It makes me feel like a hero even if I\u2019m not a WorldTour racer.<\/p>\n You know what else I love about the Scott Addict RC? I\u2019ve swapped it to Campagnolo Super Record 13<\/a> since it came out and that groupset is my favorite . This is despite common accusations that I\u2019m a SRAM fanboy in most situations. The truth is I don\u2019t normally come out and say I love something more than another. I am neutral in reviews and I let the positives and negatives tell the story. This is my space to do something different though. I love SRAM for a lot of reasons but the latest Campy has one key advantage.<\/p>\n There\u2019s an extra gear and that means better gearing. Shimano, Campy, and SRAM are all incredibly capable when you are talking about the top level products. I\u2019m not about to tell you that there\u2019s a serious performance difference between any of them. What I love about the latest Super Record 13 is that it provides a clear benefit to the consumer with no downside.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t take anything away to add an extra gear and it\u2019s the same price as RED or Dura Ace. Super Record 13 just takes the standard race gearing of a mid compact (take your pick of Shimano or SRAM for an example of that) then tacks an extra gear at the top so I still have 1:1 gearing.<\/p>\n Maybe that doesn\u2019t matter to you and you think I just need to get stronger. Cool but as I see the sun rising after riding all night I want all the gears for the next hill. Frankly I feel the same way near the end of my weekly 100-ish mile ride too but I\u2019m making a point here.<\/p>\n Normally I have to compromise and pick smaller gearing all the time to get a 1:1. With Campagnolo I don\u2019t have to compromise.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a bit of an optimist when it comes to technology but when it comes to AI, I have not been all in on it. It never did anything useful to me and for a long time it was so dumb it actually made things worse. When Google first switched Google Assistant to Google Gemini it broke everything that made the assistant useful. Something I\u2019d used for years was suddenly broken with no apparent advantage.<\/p>\n Then Google Gemini 3.0 came to market. This latest version isn\u2019t perfect but it is so incredibly useful that I can\u2019t wait to see what\u2019s next. Already it feels like it\u2019s augmenting what I can do. It lets me take my expertise and experience and uplevel it with instant access to incredible knowledge. I still rely on my own knowledge but now I can see the connections and double check myself in ways I\u2019ve never been able to before.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll start with an off the bike example I\u2019ve been sharing. This one is about a video game called Destiny 2 that I love to play. At the core of that game, the way you setup your character is a puzzle that changes every few months. I was able to use Gemini to essentially search the database that is the weapons and armor to help me figure out my latest loadout. I was able to do it myself before but this was like having a really knowledgeable friend to talk it through with. It\u2019s an ongoing thread in my Gemini discussions.<\/p>\n Then, for bike things, I recently used it to solve the misery I experience when I move from outdoor riding to indoor riding in the fall. Every year I feel awful when that switchover happens and I could never quite pinpoint why. This year I was planning to head to the doctor to get bloodwork and I asked Gemini some questions about that. Gemini instead asked if I was sure about my hypothesis then asked me to share screenshots of my Garmin data. It showed me a very clear and obvious, once I knew to look, trend of overtraining and under-fueling. For me the missing piece was that I do well avoiding that in the summer but I wasn\u2019t accounting for the change of focus when I moved indoors. I went from six hours or more of zone 2 to suddenly doing three hours of zone 4 and figured that should be easy enough I didn\u2019t need to think about changing anything. Obviously that makes no sense but we all have blind spots sometimes. I still find options like TrainerRoad, or a coach, a better solution for the actual training part but Gemini is enhancing that and filling in the fuelling side. Once again it\u2019s like having a really knowledgeable friend I can always bug.<\/p>\n Hey Gemini, this is the ride I have in mind. How much Tailwind Endurance Fuel do I want for that?<\/p>\n If there\u2019s one thing I love it\u2019s solving a problem in a way that makes sense. For years I\u2019ve had pain and\/or numbness in my outer toes. It\u2019s better or worse depending on the shoes and as I\u2019ve written various renditions of the best cycling shoes buyers guide<\/a> I include details about that because I\u2019m not all that unique. If a shoe is painful to me, it\u2019s likely painful for others.<\/p>\n The first time I really started to see a noticeable change was using the blue Specialized Body Geometry SL Footbeds<\/a>. Those insoles became a product I moved around from shoe to shoe but I also shifted to using Specialized shoes more in general. Then the S-Works Torch Remco<\/a> dropped onto the market and those insoles weren\u2019t really working. Now I\u2019m not looking for sympathy that $700 shoes didn\u2019t feel amazing but it did point out something.<\/p>\n The Remco shoes are uber light because they have very little structure. The blue insoles largely fixed my foot pain because they provide more structure. Turns out it wasn\u2019t enough for certain shoes.<\/p>\n A few months ago I headed to Joe Holcomb at JoeRETULFITPDX<\/a> to try out a set of custom insoles. Now one of the reasons I haven\u2019t written a longer article about this is because I can\u2019t link to anything more location agnostic. This is a product available through select retailers so you\u2019ll have to search in your area. If you\u2019re in Portland, Holcomb was the key to a real shift for me.<\/p>\n Holcomb is a bike fitter so it\u2019s not just the insoles that are the key here. The insoles are important though. For $150 (including the actual insole) I walked into his studio and had a custom insole made that took what the blue stock version offered and extended those benefits a bit farther. There\u2019s just a bit more structure to the custom insole but Holcomb also listened to the issue and made a very simple suggestion.<\/p>\n What Holcomb suggested is actually free and has great usability for anyone experiencing a similar issue. Move your cleat. I asked him to let me know specifically how to phrase it and what he said was \u201cthe outside (lateral direction) of your foot was painful. So we increased arch support (improved stability) and moved the cleat in the direction of the discomfort (laterally) which moved your foot inside (medially) to redistribute the pressure more evenly and reduce the irritation.\u201d<\/p>\n Problem solved for the Remco shoes and so far others I\u2019ve tested as well. If you are having issues with foot pain I\u2019d say think about your cleats and consider custom insoles because it made a huge difference to me.<\/p>\n I have obviously been quite wordy with these favorites but this time I\u2019m going to try and pair it down and let some pictures do the talking. Unlike many of the cyclists who also live in the Pacific Northwest I would much rather ride on a hot summer day than an overcast fall day. Part of that is I love a great summer kit. Each year I like to highlight a few pieces that I\u2019ve worn more than anything else. I also have the best bib shorts buyer\u2019s guide<\/a> but the two things don\u2019t necessarily align. The guide is all about serving the most people with particular categories that make sense. This is just what I personally have enjoyed wearing this summer and I\u2019ve picked two combinations. I like the way this stuff looks and I like the way that it performs.<\/p>\n The first combination is the Universal Colours Chroma bib shorts<\/a> with the Ornot Park jersey<\/a>. I would also choose the Universal Colours jersey, as it\u2019s great, but the Clement Key colorway for the Ornot jersey is just my favorite.<\/p>\n The second combination I\u2019ve been wearing a ton is the Gobik Lancer bib shorts<\/a> and although for much of the year I paired that with the same Ornot jersey I\u2019ve recently gotten the Attaquer OrbKnit jersey<\/a> and I\u2019ve spent a ton of time in it.<\/p>\n I read a missive somewhere recently about how Zwift is killing outside riding connections. That is not my experience at all. Instead I\u2019ve found Zwift to be an incredible connector while also making indoor riding more than it once was.<\/p>\n I think most people will understand the point about Zwift transforming the indoor ride experience. I spent years doing intervals staring at whatever I could make work. I remember a lot of time with things that looked about like Trainerroad looks today but there were also just cycling videos of one kind or another with a clock. Then Zwift became a thing and suddenly I could do actual rides instead of just intervals. I could also race and it really transformed what winter riding was. At this point that effect is o profound that clothing brands tell me it\u2019s even shifted the clothes people need for winter riding.<\/p>\n The other aspect might be less well known. Not everyone does but you can ride with people on Zwift. That brings the same social aspect as outdoor riding and I love it. There\u2019s a local group that rides and chats on Discord. I also mentioned racing and I\u2019ve found myself recognizing names in a starting grid as well as doing team time trials with a regular group. It was all a ton of fun. More recently I\u2019ve been doing a Sunday ride where we talk on Zoom. It\u2019s changed my whole winter training and I\u2019m just so thankful for it.<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3083-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo))
\nGoogle Pixel 4 Watch<\/p>\n![\"Still](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3091.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo))
\nVideo and still photography gear<\/p>\n![\"DJI](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3096-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo))<\/p>\n![\"Feedback](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_8167.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/p>\n![\"Scott](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC00039-Edit-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nScott Addict RC<\/p>\n![\"Scott](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_0946.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nCampagnolo Super Record 13<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3097.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nGoogle Gemini<\/p>\n![\"Custom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3115-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nCustom Specialized Insoles<\/p>\n![\"Gobik](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3114-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nMy favorite summer cycling kits<\/p>\n![\"Universal](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_3107-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/p>\n![\"Zwift](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_8057.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nZwift<\/p>\n![\"Oakley](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_2478-Edit.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>(Photo: Josh Ross\/Velo)
\nOakley Meta Vanguard glasses<\/p>\n