Asphalt-Tested Gear Reviews
Brutal, unsponsored testing of commuter hardware. We measure lock durability in grinder minutes and waterproof gear in heavy downpours to keep you moving.
Angle grinder tests
We attack municipal bike locks with portable angle grinders and hydraulic cutters. These three locks survived our street-level destruction trials.
Kryptonite New York
Abus Bordo 6500
Litelok X1
Withstood continuous angle grinder attack for over four minutes. Heavy, thick steel shackle requires dual cuts to defeat on the street.
Resisted manual bolt cutters completely. Folds tight for compact frame mounting but succumbed to the grinder in ninety seconds.
Ceramic composite material ruined two grinder discs during testing. The current benchmark for lightweight, high-security urban transit protection.
Wet weather survival
Panniers must keep laptops dry in downpours, and commuter frames must clear full fenders. We test utility gear in real storms.
Ortlieb Back-Roller
Submerged for thirty minutes in our test tank. Zero water penetration. The classic roll-top design remains the industry standard for daily multi-modal commuting.
Our commuter bike evaluations focus heavily on tire clearance and disc brake stopping power. We refuse to review bikes without dedicated fender eyelets.
Our testing standards
Submit for testing
We buy every piece of gear retail. No manufacturer sponsorships, no free test bikes, and no affiliate kickbacks that compromise our editorial integrity.
Are you a manufacturer confident in your hardware? Contact our NYC or Chicago editorial office to submit gear for our brutal demolition trials.