Indholdsfortegnelse for March-April 2024 i Bicycling Australia

INCREASINGLY SO BROAD AND DIVERSE, WHILE GIVING THIS EDITION of Bicycling Australia a final perusal prior to it being sent to the printer, I couldn't help but be reminded of the almost countless aspects of our sport. Starting with Publisher James Yaffa’s column over on the next page, he discusses the almost incomprehensible logistics that take place behind the scenes of the global biking industry. Just think … when you casually wander in to take a look around your LBS – a simple act that JY rightly states is one of the best ways to maintain and boost your mojo for the sport – each of the thousands of items in stock has been developed by passionate enthusiasts just like you and me. That ‘gear junkie’ theme continues over the…

“A GIVER WITH A BIG HEART”. That’s how the parents of the late Melissa Hoskins have described their daughter as they struggle to come to terms with her tragic and devastating death. Mel, the much-loved 32-year-old mother of two and champion cyclist, died in hospital on January 1 after she was struck by a car outside her family home in Adelaide’s north. Her husband, recently-retired professional rider Rohan Dennis, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, and endangering life. Dennis was released on bail and scheduled to front court in early March. Cycling and sports enthusiasts from across Australia and around the world continue to pay tribute to Mel, the bubbly, charismatic and energetic young mother. “Myself, Amanda, Jess and families, are utterly…

RoadNats Go West THE CAPITAL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, PERTH, IS set to host the Australian National Championships for the next three years, as confirmed by AusCycling. The prestigious event, encompassing various competitions, will feature a week of racing in and around the iconic Kings Park, delivering a unique experience for athletes and fans alike. AusCycling CEO Marne Fechner expressed enthusiasm, stating, “Running the road races through such an iconic location is a privilege and a perfect way to showcase this beautiful city to the rest of Australia and a huge international broadcast audience.” While the move from the long-time home of Buninyong is embraced in the West, the announcement instantly triggered derision and debate. Critics question the affordability of travel, plus a week in Perth during peak tourism season, highlighting…

FLAT CAPS, WHIPPETS, BLACK pudding and cricket, there are many superlatives that spring to mind when the northern English county of Yorkshire is mentioned. Although most of these still ring true, Yorkshire also has a deep and rich cycling heritage and along with neighbouring Lancashire, Yorkshire was once also highly reputed throughout the world for its textile industry. Sadly, through globalisation and outsourcing, much of that heritage has faded eastwards, although Leeds based Restrap has, in a niche way, revived at least a part of that legacy and seamlessly stitched it in with the inherent Yorkshire cycling culture and the fast-evolving bike packing market. Handmade in Leeds form the finest quality fabrics and embroidered with practical innovation their bags and accessories have become highly regarded within the bike packing community…

ITS ORIGINS MAY DATE WAY BACK to the 17th Century. But the brand we today know as ‘DT Swiss’ officially came into existence in 1994, initially creating wire spokes before quickly adding the high-end wheel hubs for which it has since become synonymous. 2003 saw DT Swiss make its first foray into rim production. Two decades on, the Swiss components juggernaut has welcomed a series of entry-level aero wheelsets—including the A1800 SPLINE 30 which I’ve been reviewing for the past couple of months. Positioned by DT Swiss as ‘Aero for All’, and priced at under $900 for the pair, the value alone calls for serious consideration. FIRST IMPRESSIONS The ‘A’ in the name stands for aero. But out of the box these tubeless-ready wheels don’t look (or feel) particularly aero.…

LEE TURNER: I’M WITH LUKE Plapp, the three-time Australian champion … Luke out of your three wins which one do you rank the highest? LUKE PLAPP: Woah … that’s a tough one. I think they’re all very, very different races. In each one I had to work out my competitors and think about how to beat them on an individual level. I think probably the second one was where I raced the best and kept my cool. They’re all as special as each other and I know how highly prized the national road jersey is. LT: NOW THE NATIONALS ARE MOVING TO PERTH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? LP: I think it will bring up some difficulties with travel, that said I hope big numbers of people can still…

WELCOME BACK TO A thrilling year of news, insights, reviews, and views from the Bicycling Australia team! Following the resounding success of the Tour Down Under and with the anticipation of the French road season, Classics, Grand Tours, and the Paris Olympics, 2024 promises to be a formidable year for cycling. As we immerse ourselves in the rhythm of another year of the sport, the first half of ‘24 offers an excellent opportunity to declutter your bike collection, scrutinise your gear, parts, and accessories, and contemplate upgrades for the months, trips and events ahead. Visit your preferred local bike store, and you're likely to find a substantial inventory. Upstream, at the warehouses and distribution centres supplying these stores, the stock levels are even more significant. Current stock levels for most…

Tadej’s Eyewear DEVELOPED AND TESTED IN partnership with UAE Team Emirates – including Tadej Pogacar during much of his triumphant 2023 Spring Classics campaign – Scicon says the AEROSCOPE range “extends beyond the expected and delivers tailored precision for the ultimate cycling experience.” Having worn them myself throughout late autumn and early winter, I can vouch they’re right at the apex of performance eyewear, delivering an outstanding combination of optics, quality and tech, whilst still being super flexible and lightweight at just 35 grams. Seriously, there were times when I could barely feel I was wearing them. With four frame colours and 10 interchangeable lens colours to choose from, the modern oversized design of the AEROSCOPE is hard to miss in a bunch – several friends even suggested the styling…

THE NEW SILCA BRAND IS THE baby of Josh Poertner. He purchased Silca from the original Italian family who had run it for over a century and then moved it to Indiana where he lives. If you aren't familiar with the old Silca, they made the default floor pump that everyone used last century. My mid-90s Silca Super Pista pump is still my backup pump after 30 years of regular use. My first bike had a Silca Impero frame-fit pump sitting on it ready to go into action after a puncture (they came in glorious colours but shops always had boring red or black in stock). Unlike the floor pumps, the frame pumps were best reserved for emergency use with their heavily plastic construction. New Silca provides an array of…

FOUR MONTHS IS AN ETERNITY in cycling. Just two issues ago, I was reviewing Northwave’s impressive-but-not-quite-perfect Extreme Pro 3 road shoes. At the time, they were the top dog in the Italian footwear giant’s impressive stable of performance road shoes. But not any longer. After hundreds of hours of discrete real-world and ergo testing by a small army of professional riders – including Northwave ambassador Filippo Ganna, who reportedly raced the entire 2023 season in them – last October saw the official launch of the Veloce Extreme. 100 per cent designed and handmade in Italy, Northwave has taken the considerable lessons learned from the past to create the Veloce Extreme, before adding in a liberal helping of new technology and a Stelvio-sized mountain of lab testing. The result is what…

"LIGHT, LIGHT, LIGHT…" These three words resounded in our minds as we unleashed the 2024 Orbea Orca M20 for a mesmerising ride. The dreamy model, finished in a deep 'Wine Red,' immediately captivated our senses, setting the stage for a thorough exploration of this exceptional road bike. In a world where choices often simplify, the realm of road bikes seems to defy the trend, offering an array of drool-worthy options. As we navigated the vast landscape of choices, the Orbea Orca emerged as a standout contender, beckoning us to delve deeper into its capabilities and features. The cycling landscape has undergone significant transformations, with classic climbing bikes, once declared superseded by all-round endurance bikes, now making a triumphant return. The 2024 Orca spearheads this resurgence, challenging the prevailing notion that…

Felicity Wilson-Haffenden TEENAGE SENSATION FELICITY WILSON-HAFFENDEN DIDN’T waste time after her World Championship win to sign a deal with one of the biggest cycling teams, Lidl-Trek. She fielded more than one offer and opted for Lidl-Trek because they offered a great development pathway and an opportunity to race alongside some of the world’s best riders. Fellow Tasmanian Richie Porte was instrumental in introducing Wilson-Haffenden to the right people in the team he had been part of for two years, but it was up to her to show them her talent and potential. Even more impressive is the short time Felicity, known to most people as Fliss, has been riding a bike. The COVID pandemic was the catalyst for her decision to try cycling when her hockey games were all cancelled…

YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD of Uccello Cycles, a boutique, Melbourne-based custom bike and wheel builder. Gavin, the man behind Uccello, selects what he deems to be the best combination of components to make super-light, aerodynamic and high-quality wheels that won’t break the bank as much as the top brands. These wheelsets are right at the absolute pointy of the weight spectrum, much lighter than most top brands for similar rim depths. The rims are sourced from a manufacturer in China. It can’t be disclosed, but rest assured, the factory they come from is also the source of some brands we’d all know. Uccello will also custom-build wheels with other rims and hubs such as Chris King, but have especially chosen the combination of parts for their off-the-shelf options. These include…

ELSEWHERE IN THIS ISSUE I reviewed the Silca Bike Spa set of cleaning and shining products for your bike. And there I wrote a bit about Silca the company - please read that article first. One remarkable feature of DETOX chain cleaner is that it doesn't attack wax. And Josh Poertner, owner of Silca, is all about chain waxing. Before this review got underway, Chris from Echelon Sports (the Silca importer) asked me if I used immersion wax on my chains. I've considered doing so for years. But never took the plunge (pun intended). Not to worry, Silca has both the immersion and the drip methods covered. With the identical product in different forms. A few days later I received a bottle of STRIP chain cleaner and one of Super…

IT’S VASTLY EASIER NOW TO ASK‘who doesn’t make a gravel bike’ than who does. For practical purposes, the choice is close enough to infinity to stop anyone from choosing amongst some kind of short list. The list is too long to be short. So, it’s probably more sensible to start a search at the category level and go from there. The big three categories might be racing gravel, fun gravel and adventure gravel (as in bags and stuff). Not that a pro racing gravel bike can’t be fun or might be harnessed with bags if you insist. Just in the last few months we have seen companies like Enve, BMC and Colnago launch or intend to launch competitive racing gravel bikes. The Enve Mog looks amazing, The new BMC Kaius…