How I Pick and Test Products on CyclistsHub.com

This page includes information on how I pick products for my roundup articles. I also explain how I test and review products I buy or get from brands.

However, if you should remember one thing, it would be the fact that affiliate commissions never influence my verdicts, and I assess products as objectively as possible.

How Do I Pick Products for Roundups?

Before I choose products for my roundup articles, I do extensive market research. This includes mainly evaluating user reviews, reviews of influencers, and well-known magazines and websites.

I don’t blindly trust all that’s written or said. Instead, I assess information critically and from multiple angles. Some reviews are fake or paid (this also applies to negative ones). It’s important to be careful when evaluating them, especially on Amazon, which is often the main target of these practices.

Even though I almost prolonged my studies due to Excel, I compare products using spreadsheets to choose the ones worth your attention and possible purchase.

I also do my best to provide context so you can better understand how a particular product stands against its alternatives. No product is the best for all. A bike suitable for you might not be suitable for me, and vice versa. So it’s always necessary to consider your needs and preferences. That’s why my roundup articles include a detailed buyer’s guide section that explains what features to consider when choosing a particular product.

Thanks to my overview of the cycling market, I am able to sense what products people will like, which ones they will hate, which ones will be talked about, etc.

Each roundup article usually includes products from different price ranges, from budget to premium. That’s because not everybody can afford high-end products or wants to buy the cheapest option. The best products overall are usually those that provide the best price-value ratio.

How Do I Review and Test Products?

I was fortunate enough to be able to test dozens of products already. These include bike computers, bike trainers, carbon wheels, and other accessories.

Each product category requires different steps during testing, so I am developing objective testing processes to provide you with valuable and comparable data.

I currently use a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best possible rating. I then average these ratings into a final grade. Some product categories have this score weighted to better reflect the most important functionalities.

However, weighting scores bring one drawback. For some, my highly weighted features may be less important to you and vice versa. For example, you may find the weight of carbon wheels 2× more important than their comfort. For me, stiffness may be 1.2× more important than price, etc. So again, I recommend taking my assessment as a jumping-off point and considering your needs and preferences.

In addition to the product’s features, I try to pay attention to other areas, such as customer support, which is important for more complex or expensive products like bikes, power meters, bike trainers, etc.

However, evaluating this is difficult, so I often draw on the opinions and experiences of others shared in community forums.

I know price is relative, but I have higher expectations of relatively more expensive products than cheaper ones. This means that I am more critical of their shortcomings.

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