Indholdsfortegnelse for January-February 2024 i Bicycling Australia

Editorial AS WE PEDAL INTO THE FINAL STRETCH OF 2023, LET'S REFLECT ONmore than just cycling and take an introspective moment to consider some important numbers. Shall we start with 4,000 – the average number of weeks of a human lifespan. As we transition from this week to next, and indeed into 2024, let’s ponder the past 52 ‘sennights’. Are you comfortable and content with your accomplishments, achievements and bike time? If so congratulations … that’s brilliant! But I'm not, and am 100% committed to achieving more over coming weeks and in the countdown to the XXXIII Olympiad. Another number to contemplate is 940 million – the distance the Earth travels in kilometers each 365.2556 days. That's a whopping 49 billion km since I was born in the 970th year…

2024 Tour Down Under Preview THE MOST CHALLENGING FINAL WEEKEND OF racing in Santos Tour Down Under history will feature both Willunga Hill and Mt Lofty when 2024’s inaugural UCI WorldTour race returns from Friday 12 to Sunday 21 January. Stages for the 2024 men’s and women’s races have been completely revamped to feature new start and finish locations, and the festival week is also set to include the Para Cycling World Cup, a new gravel event, and a return of the popular ‘Car Park Criterium’. Road racing wise, there will be a combined 1,116km of action across 10 days. The women’s race will be in the spotlight on weekend one, kick-starting the TDU on Friday 12 January with a fast-paced stage from Hahndorf to Campbelltown. Santos Tour Down Under…

Cycling Readers AH LIFE’S LITTLE FRUSTRATIONS… they tend to evolve early and compound (and lengthen) through he decades. From age 2 to 10 it may be not being allowed a chocolate bar of packet of chips at the supermarket. It could be homework or being grounded through those troubling teenage years. The cost of living, saving for a car and having to rent a share house in the 20s to 30s. Then the dreaded mortgage and no time to yourself through to the 40s. And after that it’s pretty well “where did I put my readers” for every proceeding year and decade after that. Yep, readers … for many of us it’s from the mid-forties that they become a daily staple – you can’t go anywhere or do anything without…

DJO Osmo Action 4 AT FIRST GLANCE, THIS ACTION 4 from DJI closely resembles its predecessor but, under the hood, this camera has undergone significant upgrades that position it as a serious contender against market leading GoPro. Pick one up and hold it in the hand for the first time and the DJI has a solid, professional and rugged feel. Internally, one of the standout features is the larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, a game-changer for low-light performance and better light capturing, making those dusk and dawn rides look even more spectacular. What's more, the Action 4 now supports professional settings like Log video capture, giving better editing control over footage. Make no mistake, small cameras like the Osmo can now create the most amazing pro-level output. Where it gets exciting for…

GIANT DEFY ADVANCED SL 0 (2024) Twenty years ago, there was no endurance road bike market. Today, pretty much every major brand has at least one endurance offering, and the category continues to swell as more and more riders preference comfort and versatility over out-and-out speed. Slotting comfortably into this fiercely competitive landscape is the revamped Giant Defy Advanced which gets the full SL 0 treatment for 2024. Heralding the fifth generation of the Defy platform, this is a compelling all-rounder with plenty to offer Australian riders—together with the very tasty sweetener of unmistakable ‘Giant’ value. NO GIMMICKS In an industry awash with hyperbole, Giant is keen to point out its blueprint for the continued evolution of the Defy remains simplicity. “Less weight, better ride quality, no gimmicks,” says the…

AS 2023 DRAWS TO A CLOSE, IT'S time to savour that sea breeze and relish another quintessential Australian summer holiday, hopefully on your bike exploring this magnificent country. Considering the troubling war scenes in the Middle East and Europe, we are reminded of just how fortunate we are here in Australia. Like you, our team at Bicycling Australia and The Classics are anticipating a well-deserved break and eagerly look forward to meeting you in person at one of our Classic Events. Looking ahead to 2024, here are our top 5 predictions: “…unexpected results, AS WITNESSED IN THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP, would add much-needed excitement to cycling…” 1. Road E-bikes – Anticipate continued growth in this category, with lighter and more versatile bikes gaining market share. The popularity of e-bikes…

Trek Checkpoint Adventure A52 SQUARE KILOMETRE ISLAND, JUST 20minutes off Townsville in Far North Queensland and with not much more than 30km of paved roads … hardly an ideal cycling destination? But for those looking for a tropical island escape that harbours some surprising cycling secrets, Magnetic Island just may be the holiday option you’ve been dreaming of. Some 1700km north of Sydney and 19 degrees south of the equator, ‘Maggie’ as it’s affectionally referred to by the locals is considered a suburb of Townsville, the unofficial capital of the Far North. Getting there from just about all mainland capitals is surprisingly simple. Just fly to Townsville, get a transfer (minibus or taxi for around $20) to the ferry terminal on the Townsville Breakwater, then catch one of the regular…

THE THULE EPOS BIKE RACK stands out as an incredibly versatile solution for traveling cyclists, offering a fast, convenient, and incredibly user-friendly experience. We’ve secured it to the back of a Volvo XC 90 wagon and can attest to its simplicity, security and out-of-mind storage ability. And as good as rooftop bike carriers are these days, there’s something extra satisfying about your bike (or bikes) being on the back, out of the wind in the vehicles ‘low pressure zone’ or slipstream. Quite a marvel of design evolution, what sets this bike rack apart is its innovative telescopic bike attachment system, making mounting effortless and accessible. The Epos allows you to secure your bike anywhere on the frame or rear wheel, offering several attachment options. This adaptability is a game-changer, accommodating…

A QUESTION FOR YOU, DEAR SPINCycle readers: Across the failed Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step merger, the plethora of forced retirements at the end of last season, talk of a Saudi-backed Champions League-style calendar from 2026, and the closure of GCN+ and the GCN app, what is the common theme? Answer: It is very, very difficult to make serious money from professional cycling. Unless you are one of the world’s best riders or the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), owner of the Tour de France. “How do you deal with this monopoly?” asked Daniel Friebe of The Cycling Podcast in November last year. “The Tour de France is the most beautiful golden goose in any sport. If you look across the whole sporting panorama, it is very difficult to identify any monopoly…

FLIP INSURANCE New research from Flip Insurance reveals 44 per cent of 1000+ Australians surveyed admit the fear of injury is holding them back from trying new sports and adventure, despite 72 per cent of them stating they’d like to embrace more adventure in their lives. For a quarter of these Australians (26 per cent) the cost associated with injury was another deterrent, which was particularly relevant as 36 per cent of respondents said they’re craving being more active and embarking on more adventures to relieve stress from the cost-of-living crisis. Here, cost was the biggest hurdle for those Aussies aged 34-55 years old compared to only 40 per cent of Baby Boomers aged 60+. A massive 70 per cent of respondents were eager to spend more time outdoors and…

TRADITIONAL ROAD BIKES PREVAIL, HOWEVER over the past few years the industry has witnessed the rise of versatile all-road bikes designed to handle rougher terrain, offering cyclists the freedom to explore a wider variety of surfaces. The latest road bikes continue to push the boundaries of aerodynamic design, enhancing efficiency up hill, down dale and on flat lands as well. Furthermore, endurance road bikes prioritise comfort on long rides with their relaxed geometries and with integrated shock-absorbing (or compliance) features. And they’re more efficient and comfortable than ever. Manufacturers are focusing on customisation like never before, allowing riders to select frame materials, groupsets, and wheel options. This reflects the diverse preferences within the cycling community, and an ever-increasing desire to stand out from the crowd. With the ever-expanding array of…

PLASMAIDE “PLASMAIDE is a product that I’ve been using, I feel good on it and I’m riding quite well” – Robbie McEwen PLASMAIDE is a liquid plant-based blood health adaptogen with natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It can be used pre-activity (not during) for performance benefits and/or post-activity for recovery. PLASMAIDE is a complementary product to other supplement or hydration products you might intake during your ride and helps to increase their efficacy. The highly bio-available formula enters your bloodstream within 30-45 minutes of ingestion and increases the production of naturally produced nitric oxide and stabilises it once it's formed for up to six hours, helping to: • increase blood flow and circulation • enhance the body's natural defence mechanisms • prevent the build-up of lactic acid for less muscle…

GTECHNIQ Tested IN WHAT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THEworld’s most comprehensive bike care & cleaning kit, we’ve recently been trying and testing 5+kilograms of specialist products from GTECHNIQ. In business since 2001 and available globally, GTECHNIQ specialise in three areas of cleaning – automotive, marine and bike. The science behind what makes dirt and grime stick, and the development of advanced surface protection led to the creation of the company GTECHNIQ being founded by a quantum physicist in 2001. While not exactly a bargain basement buy at $258, this box of specialist cleaning goodies we have here is one of the most comprehensive we’ve ever seen. On the positive side, having used several items several times, it does seem likely to last a couple of years. So what’s in the GTECHNIQ…

IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD DAY WHEN you get asked to review a new bike, especially when they drop the name Cervelo. In this case, I was asked to test the new Caledonia. SOME QUICK FACTS We will talk details later. Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS eTap. Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 900 DB. Tyres: Zafiro Pro G2 30mm. Crankset: 48x35 Rival AXS drivetrain. 12spd. Cassette: SRAM Rival 10x36. OUT OF THE BOX First impression: What a fantastic-looking bike! I fell in love with the Glacier paintwork. It's definitely eye-catching and looks amazing in the sunlight. I like the fact that manufacturers are slowly walking away from the all-black paintwork we have been seeing for too many years now. Although, yes, all black is an option in their colorway choices. ON THE ROAD It…