Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i Cycling Plus

SAVE OVER £30 when you subscribe to Cycling Plus See p88 You’d expect, and want, me to say this but aren’t bikes brilliant? And isn’t the riding of said bikes a wonderful thing? As a reader of Cycling Plus you, of course, already know these truths. My guess, though, is that sometimes you forget them. Because you ride a lot that brilliance and wonder can almost become normal. That certainly happens to me on occasion, but then I get a reminder! For instance, turn to page 110 and read Simon Warren’s piece on the Brothers on Bikes – it’s a great tale of how cycling brings people together. Or, as I did in June, enter an event like Eroica Britannia and ride an old bike, with thousands of other smiling…

RIBBLE 883 AERO DISC Vs ROSE XEON CWX-3000 £2899 SPECIFICATION Weight 8.36kg (54cm) Frame 883 T800/1000 carbon Fork R-FS carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra 785 shifters and 6800 gears, 52/36, 11-28 Brakes Shimano BR805 hydraulic disc Wheels Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon disc WTS Finishing kit Deda bar and stem, Sella Italia saddle, 25mm Mavic Yksion Pro Griplink (f), Powerlink (r) tyres SPECIFICATION Weight 8.07kg (54cm) Frame T30/40 HOC carbon Fork Carbon, alloy steerer Gears Shimano Ultegra 785 shifters and 6870 gears, 6800 52/36, 11-28 Brakes Shimano BR805 hydraulic disc Wheels Rose CW-1550 Finishing kit Ritchey bar and stem, 25mm Continental GP 4000 S II tyres £3318.91 How fast? The Ribble’s aggressively geometric, chopped tail approach to aerodynamics includes massive rectangular chainstays for efficient power transfer. The Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon wheels are stiff…

I ate sweets and just kept going. The bends went on and on but I just kept attacking At the end of May, nine-yearold Alfie, his 12-year-old sister Saskia, plus dad Steve and mum Sarra, covered the 270 miles between the English and French capitals in an impressive four days. “Some people think someone as young as me shouldn’t even try a ride like this,” says Alfie. “But I did it because I wanted to, and I feel proud to have finished.” It was the latest in an astonishing list of rides he’s added to his palmarès before his 10th birthday. Last June, aged eight, he scaled the Col du Tourmalet. “I tried to climb it on holiday but failed, so I did a lot of training up and down…

Forme draws on over 20 years of experience, with its team riding and racing on many iconic European mountain passes, commuting frequently to its Derbyshire HQ and exploring almost every lane and trail throughout its Peak District playground, hence the names of its models! As a result, it’s got a bike for every type of rider. We’re giving one lucky reader the chance to ride away with either Forme’s Longcli_e 4.0 or Longcli_e 4.0 C women’s model. Built from lightweight 6061 alloy and featuring Shimano Claris groupset and 4ZA !nishing kit, each bike is worth £550! HIGHLIGHTS ▪ Relaxed sportive geometry, considered tube pro!les and smooth welds to produce a frame that looks as good as it rides. ▪ Shock-absorbing carbon fork provides hours of comfort in the saddle while…

BTWIN VIOO 500 CITY £9.99 This fella flits between being a 22-lumen front light and seven-lumen rear, both of which can be run constant or flashing. While not super-bright, seven lumens is more powerful than it sounds. We’d be tempted to keep a couple in our bags for emergency use. It represents great value, but maybe not an ideal main light. SPECIALIZED STIX COMP £29.99 The 29g Stix Comp is one of the most versatile here, with half a dozen modes including ‘disco flash’ with run times from around three to 27 hours. We got nine hours on its 20-lumen ‘power’ flash setting, which was plenty bright enough. You can also buy mounting options for saddle rails, clothing, your arm or helmet. Neat. Petite. KNOG POP £12.99 Knog bucks the…

Specialized’s success in professional racing, its seemingly blanket sponsorship of top teams and bold, brash American persona have given it a reputation as a marketeer rather than a brand led by technology and development. However, innovative and individual designs over recent seasons with the Shiv, Venge and Roubaix are signs of a company doing things a little differently. With the recent launch of the new Tarmac, we went to its Morgan Hill, California base to take a look behind the scenes. There are more niches for bikes to fall into than ever – aero, gravel, endurance, sportive, race and so on. The Venge is undoubtedly a racing machine, designed to beat the wind. The Shiv is a time trial special designed to get you down the road as fast as…

There is now more choice than ever when it comes to women’s kit. It’s better designed, includes more technical features and fabrics and is better looking than it used to be. Clothing is designed to suit the female body, such as jerseys and jackets with a form-specific cut and bib shorts’ chamois pads are now designed to cushion and support female anatomy and soft tissue. As a guide, the more performancefocused and higher end kit is usually the tighter fit but, much like high street clothing brands, there are still sizing inconsistencies, so don’t always assume that a medium in one brand will have the same fit in another. A close fit is important, particularly with bib shorts, as it will prevent any rubbing or chaffing as you ride. Kit…

Whether you’re flying down a mountain descent, winding through country lanes or diving through tight city streets, confidence and good cornering technique are essential for conserving energy, staying safe and putting time into your mates. While the pro peloton has more than its share of assured descenders, no one quite gains as much from the bends in the road as world champion Peter Sagan. On any terrain, the man who has won the Tour’s green jersey in each of the last five editions knows how to put his rivals to the sword. CONFIDENCE AND GOOD TECHNIQUE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR STAYING SAFE AND PUTTING TIME INTO YOUR MATES 1 TAKE CONTROL Sagan can dominate the most aggressive races by hitting the front ahead of corners, enabling him to take control of…

FAT FIGURES 817 CALORIES BURNED Equivalent to a (300g) serving of chicken korma (498kcal) two (12g) poppadum (110kcal) and half a piece of naan bread (209kcal) - for an 83kg man cycling at 15mph for 60 mins (vigorous) NOW 13st 11.5lb (87kg) THEN 19st (120kg) WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE BEFORE THE BIKE? I’d always had bikes but six years ago my weight was causing me to have problems with my sleep - I was slowly killing myself with food. HOW DID CYCLING HELP? At first I started walking more and doing karate. My instructor said to build my stamina I should get on my bike, so I started riding it to a local park and back, no more than a couple of miles. Over the next few months I…

When you hear the word superbike, you probably think of a pure, sleek thoroughbred racing machine. Carbon everything adorned in only the most lavish of Italian finery. Specifically designed and manufactured by the old masters of cycling to easily ascend the Alps, dance in the Dolomites and plunder the Pyrenees... And all with five figure price tags. Sure, most superbikes are like that but what happens when you take such a steed and rough it around Europe? I was fortunate enough this year to get my hands on a Moots Routt RSL (Race Super Light). The frameset costs $5519, with a total build cost of $11,699. Those numbers alone are more than anyone is probably ever willing to spend on a bike, so you’d expect me to treat it with…

Our ProBuild system is a godsend for the rider who wants to create a custom dream bike. ubyk’s ProBuild gives you the confidence to build a bike without compromising on the spec. Choose your frame from some of the best high end Road Bike brands on offer, including AX-lightness, Colnago, Cipollini, Cinelli, Look, Parlee, Orro, Eddy Merckx, Ritchey, Lynskey and more. Personalise your ultimate ride by speccing everything from wheels to groupsets, saddles to stems tyre. Using our visual ProBuild software, you can select your frame then switch components as you wish, seeing how they affect weight and price as you progress. Once you’ve specced your bike, our expert team will build the bike part by part, bringing to fruition the very bike you’ve designed yourself. Our handpicked team simply…

Here at Cycling Plus we take our testing seriously and have been putting road cycling products through their paces for 25 years. Our test team, led by senior technical editor Warren Rossiter, is the best in the business. They’ve got decades of cycling experience between them and know what makes a good – and bad – bike, accessory, gadget or garment. That means you can trust us to bring you honest assessments of every product we feature. If it gets our seal of approval then you can be sure that you’ll be bagging a great buy! FIRST RIDE First Ride sees our test team bring you their first impressions of the most exciting new bikes available. As soon as they’re out, we’re riding! ROAD TEST Before you buy a bike,…

SPECIFICATION Weight 9.13kg (size 54cm) Frame Unidirectional monocoque carbon Fork Carbon, tapered steerer Gears Shimano 105, 11-32, FSA Gossamer cranks Wheels Easton AR-21 rims, Centerlock hubs Brakes Shimano BR-805 hydraulic, 160mm rotors Finishing kit Whyte Road bar, stem, seatpost, custom Road saddle, 32mm Schwalbe S-ONE tyres UK-based Whyte might be better known for multiaward- winning, genre-defining mountain bikes but its head designer, Ian Alexander, is an ex-elite category road racer with an attitude to testing and riding that’s as gritty and hardcore as the Spring Classics. It’s the mix of this attitude, the latest road biking trends and Whyte’s practical innovation that make the new Wessex such a significant bike. While it’s been enjoyably versatile over summer, we noticed that the worse the conditions got the better the Wessex felt.…

We’ve been around the block enough to know that sports politics is an opaque thicket of skulduggery As British Cycling limps from one crisis to another, it was the aftermath of the delayed report into its much-maligned culture released in June that we began to wonder what effect the affair is having on British cycling (small c). The report, produced by a panel led by Annamarie Phelps, former chair of British Rowing, was deemed by some to be a whitewash, with much of the harshest criticism and language removed from a draft version leaked in March. Of course, the leaked draft was just that - a draft, unfinished and without the opportunity for those given a roasting to respond. If it had stayed out of public view, would there have…

England’s spiritual heart is here in the beautiful villages, stately homes, wildflower lanes and lush hills. Enjoy tourist honeypots with their well-heeled incomers – Bourton, Burford, Chipping Campden – and quiet olde-worlde villages like Kingham or the Slaughters. Our base is Moreton-in-Marsh, with town facilities, mainline trains, gastropubs and accommodation. ROUTE ONE Village vibes 62 miles Rolling climbs in picture-postcard scenery Following parts of National Cycle Network routes 48, 442 and 57, this day of short sharp climbs (total 4000ft) and descents takes you through some of the Cotswolds’ loveliest towns and villages (haunted Minster Lovell, Naunton, Lower Slaughter and so on) on back lanes. Bourton’s your tea stop. Get the route tinyurl.com/cplus-villages ROUTE TWO Scenic drama 62 miles A leisurely spin through Shakespeare country After a stiff morning climb and…

The Tour de France will be in full swing by the time you read this, with 198 pro riders racing superexpensive bling-laden bikes. But for two grand or so, and thanks to trickle-down technology, you can enjoy much of the experience of riding a Tour-quality bike. The entry point is the BMC Teammachine SLR03 with Shimano 105 at £1599 (£1439 as we go to press). The SLR03 is the junior sibling to the Swiss outfit’s pro-quality SLR01, and the relationship is particularly evident in BMC’s distinctive frame profiles and dropped seatstays. Giant’s bikes are ridden by Sunweb’s riders, including Tom Dumoulin who took this year’s Giro d’Italia on a TCR similar to the TCR Advanced 1 here, which is kitted out with Shimano Ultegra and a sub- £1800 price. French…

WE SAY The Manta is a very wearable daily helmet with aero benefits UVEX EDAERO £189.99 Construction The striking EDAero has a minimal frontal area, and a pronounced tail that has more in common with a time trial helmet than a traditional road lid. The in-mould construction is neat, covering every exposed scrap of EPS [Expanded Polystyrene] foam, and wrapping around the base and vent edges with smoothly finished joints. Our size M-XL (57-59cm) weighs 316g. Fit The Boa lace-based retention system is anchored at the temple and above each ear with a large rubber-edged, three-height occipital cradle housing the Boa dial, which allows quick and accurate adjustment on the fly. The webbing straps are fixed at the temple and don’t touch the skin until the cheek bones. The quickfastening,…

Imagine being unique. We all are in our own way, of course, but imagine doing something that literally no one else is doing. Are you a pioneer, or an oddball? Are you lonely, or do you relish your individuality? Before the UK cycling explosion of the 2000s it was possible for any of us to see cycling as an act of rebellion, a fight against what our peers were doing, a bid to be different. But what if you had no intention to be different, but started riding only to find out you were simply alone? Back in 2012 Junaid Ibrahim bought a bike, a choice he made based on simple logic: he’d just started university and according to TfL (Transport for London) his daily commute would be 45 minutes…

Little beats the sensation of freedom one gets from zipping through London on a Brompton: in Soho, in particular, it is impossible not to hear the strains of Tony Christie’s Avenues And Alleyways buzzing around your head as you dart through the backstreets. It is fitting that our latest Best of British feature brings us to these historic streets, steeped in fashion lore, as the men we are riding with are deeply involved with the brand that has been the UK’s most distinctive entry to the cycling world in quite some time: CHPT3. Indeed, the very bikes we’re riding are prototypes of the brand’s imminent collaboration with London’s biggest bike builder: a stripped back, lightweight, bespoke Brompton in CHPT3’s distinctive colourway. It’s a project former yellow jersey David Millar is…

Fruit is broken down in the liver with a large proportion of that energy being stored there, known as liver glycogen. This store of energy has a direct relationship to maintaining blood glucose levels during exercise, and if it’s low you’ll struggle to maintain your exercise output. When you carb load the day before a big ride, you wake up with a liver empty of glycogen as that fuel is used to maintain blood sugar levels while you’re asleep. How much? Combining a steady, slow releasing carbohydrate like porridge or brown bread with sources of fruit such as a banana and honey can help replenish liver glycogen you’ve lost over night. If you’re looking solely at performance, then aim to have 100-150g of carbohydrate made up of a mixture of…

SPECIFICATION Weight 7.1kg (57.5cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 Wheels Fulcrum Racing Zero Finishing kit MOST Jaguar aero 3k carbon bar, MOST F-Series carbon stem, Fizik Arione saddle, Pinarello carbon aero seatpost, 25mm Vittoria Corsa G+ tyres Pinarello’s F8, the bike that propelled Froome to two tour victories, and has over 90 professional wins to its name, is commercially Pinarello’s most successful bike ever. The fact the brand has chosen to update the F8, to this F10, shows a fair bit of confidence from the Treviso brand. At first glance, the differences between the two are subtle. The down-tube has grown a little and the Onda forward-arching fork has gained small tabs behind the dropouts to help eliminate noisy airflow from…

Handling is pin-sharp, acceleration snappy and comfort first rate NEXT MONTH We test CP debut-making brands and bikes. Ironbridge Bikes celebrates British cycle building heritage with its steel steed, fellow UK out!t Evo2Max o"ers its aero road special, Orbea shows us its frst foray into gravel bikes, historic Belgian brand Thompson makes its mark on our shores with the carbon Capella and more. As you’d expect if you parted with £2000, you’ll get at the least a very good bike, and at best one that’s hard to beat. The lowest-scoring bike, Scott’s Addict 30 has a fine ride and is based around a very, very good frame. But to hit the price Scott’s had to pare costs, though if you can get this with better wheels, it’s a treat. BMC’s…

Cycling shoes are an essential piece of kit for any rider who clips in to their pedals. They drive the engine room and are one of the most important contact points. When thinking about how to spend your money there are several variables – the riding you’ll be doing, how the shoes fit, weight, how they look – yes, we are all shallow – and your budget. Fortunately, filter-down technology has brought quality features once reserved for high-end shoes to cheaper models. Soles are a good starting point when it comes to making your choice, because they usually reflect the cost, weight and stiffness of the shoe. At the lower price end, you’ll find nylon soles, which add weight but offer the most forgiving ride. These are designed for training,…

At first glance, the new Synapse looks pretty much the same as the 2014 Bike of The Year-winning design, but if you look closer you’ll see that every shape, surface and junction is new, has evolved. So, surely Cannondale has missed a trick by not calling it the Synapse Evo. Yes, the changes look subtle, but they are significant, not least in the geometry. The existing bike was the basis but head of the project, David Devine, tells us: ‘We worked with the engineers and designers to take the Synapse platform and redefine it as race endurance bike. That means we want to retain the character of the Synapse but inject it with more of a racing feel, so it’s got lighter, lower and more responsive”. Looking at the numbers…

Andalucian Cycling Experience Training camps and classic road cycling holidays in Andalucia. Cycling on the quietest country roads, with many challenging ascents and fast flowing descents, we ride through beautiful white villages (pueblos blancos) that are steeped in history and cultural richness. Ladies Only Road Cycling 14th-21st October. Cycling, sunshine & sangria! Come ride the smoothest roads in Spain. T 0034952184042 W andaluciancyclingexperience.com Buzz Cycling When you think of the Tour de France the Alps quickly come to mind. The Buzz Cycling team have been climbing cols in the Alps for many years. With a passion for scenic cycling they will show you some of the most spectacular routes and views in the Alps. Buzz offer amazing service, restaurant quality food, luxurious accommodation and experiences you will never forget. E…

PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT Knob Hill. Birkhead. Shitterton. Pervin Road. Undy. Pant. Cockburn. Bushy Gap. All genuine Great British place names. And the list goes on, for long enough to suggest this country really ought to come with a parental advisory warning. For centuries, not always wellintentioned people have been bequeathing places, streets, hills and valleys with highly inappropriate names, and it has long been an ambition of the Cycling Plus team to celebrate this eccentric history in a Big Ride, linking places that draw titters, giggles and sniggers. Perhaps we thought we were too esteemed to indulge in such silliness, but our idea was finally legitimised by the discovery of Strumpshaw, Tincleton and Giggleswick’s Marvellous Map of Great British Place Names. This is, after all, a map sold by…

LOOK 795 ANNIVERSARY EDITION £9999.99 Just 200 of this Mondrian-inspired beauty have been made to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Greg LeMond’s Tour de France win on a carbon Look KG86. The 795’s frame is made from 836 pieces of carbon and takes 54 hours to make by hand, which will account for some of the 10-grand price tag. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) aerodynamic tube SURºOHV!DUH!MRLQHG! E\!/RRN±V!DGMXVWDEOH! Aerostem, ADH carbon bar and integrated E-Post 2 seatpost, which contains the battery for the SRAM eTap gears and ZHLJKV!MXVW!"#$J%!,W! also has Look’s own bar tape, V-brakes, stylish Zed3 chainset and, naturally for the clipless pedal originator, a pair of Keo Blade Carbon SHGDOV!WR!ºQLVK!LW!R&% zyrofisher.co.uk SPECIFICATION FRAME Look 795 Aerolight FORK Look HSC 8 Aero GEARS SRAM Red eTap (Look…

VELOBICI VERNE JERSEY/SHORTS & PREMGRIP SOCKS Made in Leicestershire, from lightweight nylon-based VB-Pro/ VR1 fabric produced in Nottingham, the Verne jersey (£170) and shorts (£160) are perfect for the British summer. The jersey displays Velobici’s signature embroidery and raised jaquarding, while the shorts feature a VB pad made with super soft Bioceramic fabric for increased comfort, while the socks’ (£25) exclusive Premgrip technology stimulates nerve endings to DLG!EORRG!»RZ" velobici.cc RAPHA CLASSIC FLYWEIGHT JERSEY/SHORTS Rapha has been at the top of the highend kit game for as long as there’s been a high-end kit game to top, and with the Classic Flyweight jersey (£95) and shorts (£160) there’s no danger of relegation. Made from superlightweight material, the jersey features perforations and a mesh panel beneath the pockets for breathability, while the…

FACTOR ONE £8500 WEIGHT 7.22kg (M) FRAME Factor One, RGi FDUERQ_ºEUH FORK Factor OTIS, RGi FDUERQ_ºEUH GEARS Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 BRAKES Shimano Dura-Ace WHEELS Black Inc Fifty carbon clinchers, 45mm FINISHING KIT Factor OTIS one-piece bar/stem, Fizik Arione R1 saddle, Factor One carbon seatpost, 23mm Schwalbe One tyres In cycling, the new and old worlds are reversed – Europe is the old and the Far East, the ancient lands of China and Taiwan, are the new. Bianchi versus Factor is about experience versus the upstart, artisan craft versus technology, and even authenticity versus big business. Do the Italians have superior expertise gathered over more than 130 years while Factor is too new to know what it’s doing? We pitched their top-end aero road bikes head to head to find out.…