CyclistIn the Drops: plain aero socks, long lasting lube, handy torque tool kit, special Pact coffee and albumsIts Friday again and boy oh boy what a week it has been. Not only have we alighted the Tour de France bus and boarded straight on the Olympics hypetrain but there have been more readers on this humble website than there has been in a long time, so thanks very much and do click on a few more articles while youre here theyre very good.This week weve obviously had plenty of Tour de France reaction, including the best photos from the race courtesy of the excellent Zac Williams, the breakdown of the prize money, the nine best moments, the story of Biniam Girmays historic three weeks, how to fix the Tour, and we asked if Pogaar vs Vingegaard is cyclings greatest ever rivalry. We also published our profile of Geraint Thomas.In preparation for the Olympics, we had a look at when and where all the cycling is going down as well as which British riders are competing, looked back at the best bits from Tokyo, and interviewed time-trial favourite Josh Tarling. Elsewhere, there have been plenty of reviews going live, the first set of which culminated in our new guide to the best cycling jerseys for summer, and we put the Kasks new aero helmet, the Nirvana you know the silly one that Ineos have been wearing with the ear flaps to the test too. We also released the second in our three part series asking, Does cycling have a problem with over-the-counter medication?The latest issue of our print magazine also went on sale this week and its a belter. You can already read the Alpe dHuez Big Ride and Kitzbheler Horn Classic Climb online if youre a subscriber. Finally, yesterday we released the Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 110, which features Ribble Rebellion crit legend Matt Bostock and lots of Tour de France chat.Lets get In the Drops.GripGrab FastStream aero socksGribGrab has released its first ever pair of aero socks, named FastStream, which have been designed in conjunction with the aero experts at Flanders Bike Valley. Theyre fully knitted and seamless, with a breathable recycled Coolmax yarn around the foot as well as selective compression and a golf ball-inspired hexagonal pattern for maximum slipperiness above the shoe.You can see the pattern on the front and rear, with a smoother side, and you can feel the compression when you put them on, so make sure to leave yourself an extra minute getting ready for you ride to get them on and into the right place they wont be aero if theyre on wonky.They come in black or white, and I can guess which one will be more popular. They have no logos above the shoe line, so when youre riding theyll be completely plain, which Im very here for my other pair of plain white GripGrab socks are my most worn by far.Buy now from GripGrab (23)Finish Line Halo Wet lubricantFinish Lines Halo range includes wax, hot wax and wet lubricant options, and is apparently the brands greatest achievement in reducing drivetrain friction and wear. The wet lube here has apparently been made for unparalleled drivetrain performance and long relubrication intervals, which, as a lazy person is all the convincing I need.It features three key ingredients: a hydrodynamic fluid film derived from natural gas to reduce friction and noise, repel water, and withstand extreme temperatures; spherical tungsten, which has a hollow core to reduce vibrational friction and helps reduce sliding friction by creating a rolling effect on the chains surface; and a non-stick ceramic coating that works with the tungsten to reduce wear.It also comes with a smart luber bottle, that makes it incredibly easy to apply and not miss links or waste lube, which are both things I do frequently.Buy now from Freewheel (29)Granite Rocknroll TQ torque ratchet tool kitIf theres one thing Ive learned from the mental health crisis is that I need to torque more (because bike maintenance increases my stress levels), and Granites RocknRoll TQ torque ratchet kit is designed to make maintaining and adjusting your bike correctly a doddle.It includes Hex bits from 2mm to 8mm, T20, T25 and PH2 bits, and an extender for hard-to-reach angles. It rolls up in a handy carry case thats 15cm long, 5.5cm wide and the whole thing weighs a claimed 190g.Ive been using a similar but lower-tech tool recently and that one certainly isnt compact enough to take on a ride. The Rocknroll kit parts should fit in a pocket or bag by themselves but the case is small enough to take and also has a loop to strap it to your frame if necessary.Buy now from Windwave (54.99)Pact Coffee Gran FondoCan confirm it smells nice.Pact has brought back its special, cycling-themed Gran Fondo coffee for a limited time only stock is already getting low. First produced in 2020, its the brands best-selling special and is a blend of beans from Colombia and Rwanda that results in a rich dark chocolate and raisin flavour. Pact says its its darkest roast, and I enjoyed my first espressos yes that is plural and this is being typed very quickly this morning and found it to have a a lovely fruity afterbirth.It comes in either filter or espresso edition and there are seven grind options. Pact is also selling a whole host of bundles, so you can buy stuff including an AeroPress, travel mug or stovetop brewer with the beans.Buy now from Pact Coffee (from 11.95)What were into this week: albumsSusan Boyle ruined the word album for me and streaming services tried to ruin the album format for everyone, but here we still are, with my version of #susanalbumparty, celebrating the last month or sos elite selection of new releases that should be listened to in full, in order. No shuffling allowed.This is confirmation of my earlier theory that 2024 is the best year for music since 2016, and may even eclipse it. Since my last In the Drops several potential albums of the year have been released by Clairo, Charli XCX, Zach Bryan and Remi Wolf. Ive stuck a pair of songs from each in this editions playlist along with a few other new songs and songs of the summer. Its a shorter playlist than normal because youll be busy with some of those albums on repeat.Listen to In the Drops #21 on SpotifyCheck out all my In the Drops playlists Related Posts Cyclist Magazine Podcast episode 110: Ribble Rebellions Matt Bostock + Tour de France mega chat Paris 2024 Olympics Cycling: Events, schedule, TV guide and everything you need to know The 21 best photos from the Tour de France 2024 Does cycling have a problem with over-the-counter medication? Part 2: Ethics Cyclist magazine issue 155: on sale now! The post In the Drops: plain aero socks, long lasting lube, handy torque tool kit, special Pact coffee and albums appeared first on Cyclist.