Updated December 25, 2025 12:36AM
Full disclosure: I didn’t buy any whizz-bang training gadgets or snazzy cycling kit this year. But I did invest my faith in creatine, joined the church of Krispies, and rediscovered some old favorite things.
And believe it or not, I actually loved more than 10 things in this year of riding, running, and stomping around in London.
With that in mind, I’ve chosen to write about some items that I hope you might find inspiration or benefit from trying, too.
Here are 10 of the things I loved in 2025:
Creatine
I decided against uploading an image of my stash of white powder, so here’s the chemical structure of creatine instead.
After years of being creatine curious, I finally took the plunge and went all-in on this “gym bro supplement” in 2025.
And I’m very glad I did.
Supplementing with creatine has transformed my training in the gym, on the bike, and on the trails, and has marked the birth of [hopefully] a whole new mindset.
As I wrote about in my explainer on REDs, I turned a corner this year after a decade of being beaten down by anorexia. I came to terms with the fact that I needed to gain mass, fast. My short-term health and long-term future depended on it.
But I also wanted to “bulk” in a way that would be productive for my performance goals.
That’s why, from spring onward, I combined my reframed attitude to food with a daily dose of 5g of creatine. Simultaneously, I doubled down in the gym and got “swoll.” If ~130lb is “swoll,” that is.
I’m almost certain that the explosive boost of creatine has helped change me, mentally and physically.
It’s been intoxicating to see a few new pounds directly translate into bigger lifts and better W/Kg, with no impact on endurance. And crucially, seeing that progress has helped silence any intrusive thoughts when I step on the weight scale.
Of course, the “gains” aren’t purely from creatine. But this cheap, safe, scientifically proven supplement certainly helped me to translate a surplus into strength.
If you don’t take creatine already, start now. You’ll thank me in 2027.
My antiquated Garmin Edge 1000
My Edge 1000 has seen enough abuse to degrade the rubber around the on-off button [top left of unit]. But it still works fine. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
I went technologically back to the future this year.
After years of using my old Felt FR1 primarily as a town bike and an indoor training tool, I started to take it out on “proper” outdoor rides again. Base miles on the bike filled the void left by a forced reduction in running volume.
And with that, out came my dusty, trusty Garmin Edge 1000.
Ten years post-purchase, she’s still going strong. The battery life is sufficient for my purposes, it operates fast, and the mapping is still relevant.
Sure, the Edge 1000 doesn’t have all the whizz-bang features of a modern headunit – it has been superseded multiple times, after all. It doesn’t have a movie-theater-size screen, snazzy climbing features, or fancy fitness metrics. After years of wear ‘n’ tear, it doesn’t have the rubber around the on-off button, either.
But for now, it does all I need, just fine.
It’s simple to use, can pack millions of metrics onto one screen, and pairs with all my accessories.
I’m willing to bet that stripped-back headhunits like this are more than enough for most weekend warriors out there, too.
Krispies!
‘Squares,’ ‘Treats,’ whatever you want to call them – these things are cheap, tasty rocket fuel. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
They’re dirt cheap, they’re LOADED with carbs, and they taste darn good. I friggin love Rice Krispies Squares – or, for you folk Stateside, Krispies Treats.
I munched these gooey, sticky, mallow squares as a kid. Twenty-plus years later, they’ve become a go-to training fuel.
They’ve become so essential since I heard how popular they’ve become in the pro peloton that I get a little anxious if I don’t have some in my storecupboard. The chocolate and caramel flavor? Chef’s kiss.
Ok, so Krispies Squares aren’t perfect training food.
They’re not easy to open while riding hard, and they’re a choking hazard if you’re running on the trails. The carb-to-calorie ratio isn’t as good as specific sport nutrition, either.
But for pre-workout loading or mid-training moments of calm, they’re perfect. And they only cost pennies cents.
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2026? Motivate myself to start making Krispies Bars at home with this simple, peloton-approved recipe.
Vacmaster Cardio 54 ‘Air Mover’ Fan
Images like this are what happens when you combine the very ugly Cardio 54 fan with a reporter lacking photography skills. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
I recently wrote about how I’m a big fan of cheapo cooling hacks for indoor training. Damp cloths, spray bottles, and whatnot.
But I also acknowledged these low-budget bodges are only the cherry on top of an effective cooling strategy. We all know that an indoor “pain cave” isn’t complete until it’s furnished with a fan so strong that it peels back eyelids.
That’s why I invested in a Vacmaster Cardio 54 at the start of the year.
The first time I tried this ugly little beast at full power, I was blown away – almost literally. The gale is so strong I thought it would blast me off the back of the saddle.
This small, lightweight “sports fan” is brutal in its power and raw in its functionality.
It’s got no fancy Bluetooth hookup or “targeted airflow pattern” like a Wahoo Headwind, and it looks like it belongs in a Soviet industrial unit.
But it does the basics very well.
It’s compact, weighs only 3.6kg [8lb], and can be positioned at multiple angles. There are three levels of intensity that can be controlled by a remote unit. And the claimed 54kph of its top setting is quite frankly bonkers.
Best of all? It’s less than half the price of the Headwind.
One last thing. I hate to break it to y’all … the Cardio 54 is made by the UK-based Cleva, and I’ve not been able to find a North American vendor. But don’t let that deter you U.S. folk from trying to find one – it will be well worth your time if you do.
Aeropress coffee maker
The Aeropress is the understated king of coffee-makers. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
I feel like I owe my Aeropress an apology.
I only gave my beloved coffee gadget an “honorable mention” in my rundown of “10 things” in 2024.
Well, this year, the Aeropress gets a promotion, and rightly so.
It travels with me, anywhere I go. I’ve become so dependent on it that I can barely form a sentence before I’ve guzzled two of its strong black brews.
For me, the clear fruity kick tastes better and hits harder than any other coffee, whether espresso or filter. It’s the ultimate shortcut toward mental clarity.
And best of all? The Aeropress is simple to use, simple to clean, and no bigger than a water bottle.
Life’s complicated enough, so I like to keep good coffee simple.
Powerbeats Fit wireless earbuds
There are better-sounding wireless earbuds out there, but these Beats Fits have served me very well for both training and general living. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
My stubborn commitment to wired earbuds [see my list from 2024, linked above] finally cracked in 2025, and I’m glad it did.
My Powerbeats Fit wireless buds became everyday carries this year.
They sound great, they’re lightweight and comfortable, and they hold tons of charge. The bud-mounted buttons offer a positive “click” that makes it easy to adjust volume or skip tracks mid-workout. And while the noise-cancellation isn’t 100 percent effective, it’s good enough.
Full disclosure – I’m no headphone nerd. I didn’t test dozens of options before I settled on these Beats.
But I do appreciate good audio.
Of course, these mid-budget buds don’t make my head sound like a symphony hall. But there’s more than enough depth and clarity for indoor training, traveling, and living.
Perhaps the most important thing for me? The Powerbeats Fits have never slipped out of my ears in 10 months of daily use.
That said, I still think anyone who rides or runs trails with fully wireless buds needs their head looked at. That’s where the archaic wired Bose Soundsports that I praised this time last year come in.
Mid 2000s hardcore
Old favorites like Combeback Kid, Terror, and My Life is War topped my playlist in 2025.
For me, 2025 sounded like 2005. Because let’s face it, old-school hardcore is the best.
Mid-2000s bangers like “Wake the Dead” by Comeback Kid, “Witness” by Modern Life is War, and “Perseverance” by Hatebreed bludgeoned me through the most miserable training sessions and fueled my eternal teenage rage.
I was lucky enough to see all of the above-mentioned bands this year, and let’s just say that aerobic prowess doesn’t help much in a mosh pit. It seems that “slam-dancing” skills deteriorate as fast as VO2 Max and running economy.
OK, I accept that my musical tastes are for the minority.
But my decades-old playlist is a nice reminder that the soundtrack of your youth never goes stale.
Manilife deep roast crunchy peanut butter
Empty jars of peanut butter make Jim sad. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
Anyone who is passionate about PB will know. There’s peanut butter, and there’s peanut butter.
And take it from me, this Manilife “deep roast” crunchy PB is the real deal.
It’s big, bold, and rubbly. It’s deep, dark, and complex [like me!?].
The dash of salt in the recipe delivers a delicious savory twang that banishes the sickliness of some “light” roasts.
And crucially, the consistency is stiff and sticky, not weird and runny. Unlike inferior, sloppy nut butters, Manilife crunchy provides essential adhesiveness to the bottom layer of a PB&J.
Last checks in the boxes? The Manilife brand doesn’t use palm oil, is a certified B-Corp [i.e., it’s committed to sustainability], and uses high-oleic nuts, which are supposedly healthier.
And before you ask – always crunchy.
What do you think I am, a crazy person?
Reforming a reading habit
No virtue-signalling with my recent selection of mid-intellect novels. (Photo: Jim Cotton)
As a “writer,” I was a little ashamed in recent years by my very sporadic reading habits.
I would consume online news and features all day, but my turnover of “IRL” paper fiction was terrible. One book per month would be an exaggeration.
I was either too wiped out by work, too engrossed in Netflix, or struggled to find a story to commit to.
However, I managed to do a little better this year and rebuilt something of a habit. My book tally for 2025 reached 10.
I’m not going to pretend my reading has been refined – my page-turners don’t do justice to my M.A. in English Literature. But I’ve done my time struggling through “Wuthering Heights” and “Pilgrim’s Progress,” thank you very much.
And even though I’ve only been reading for 30 or 40 minutes per day, I’ve found that my mood, focus, and sleep have all improved.
Maybe I’ll manage 11 books next year.
Plant misting spray bottle
Don’t write it off until you try it. You can thank me in 2026. (Photo: Jim Cotton)