hudz Brake Lever Hoods £20.99 per pair

Here’s a great way to customise your road bike and add ergonomic efficiency: coloured brake lever hood rubbers from, er, hudz. The US company does black, naturally, but why go for the standard colour offered by the original lever manufacturers when you can match the hoods to your preferred bar tape?

There are plenty to choose from, the precise number of options depending on the make and model of lever body to be fitted. Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 and Campagnolo 10 Speed get the most options with Ultegra 10/105 and SRAM Double Tap following on. Hudz expect to have Dura-Ace 7900 and Campagnolo 11 models by mid to late 2009.

RCUK has chosen hudz to fit SRAM’s Double Tap levers. Since all DT lever bodies are the same shape, we went for light grey in an attempt to match the grey fizik tape on our SRAM Rival-equipped Omega. The precise shades of grey differ and readers may judge for themselves whether the match is a good ‘un, but in the flesh the bike looks pretty fine with them fitted.

This takes just seconds, with the most awkward part being aligning the hudz so the moulded buttons on the inside marry up with the appropriate dimples on the bodies. Once fitted, it’s time to notice the hudz signature finger contours on the underside, which are designed to improve feel when gripping the whole hood.

Less visible is the slightly squared-off cross-section and reshaped upper inside, both intended to improve hand comfort and grip over long rides. We’ll report back after the miles have been put in. Meanwhile, visit www.grabthehudz.com For an idea of the hudz palette for your particular levers.