Indholdsfortegnelse for September-October 2025 i Bicycling Australia

Three decades ago Rwanda was being ravaged by civil war. Now, barely a generation later, the nation is about to host Africa’s first-ever UCI Road World Championships. By any measure it’s an extraordinary turnaround; something that prompted memories of other remarkable World Championship ‘comebacks’. At the top of the list is Greg Lemond. Having already won the rainbow jersey in Switzerland in 1983 and Tour de France in 1986, the American nearly died in a hunting accident in 1987. Stricken with shotgun pellets, he reportedly lost 70 per cent of his blood and was within 20 minutes of meeting his maker. Not only did Lemond survive, he returned to wear the Maillot Jaune once again in 1989 before storming to a second rainbow jersey a month later in Chambéry, France.…

Attending this year’s Eurobike brought many home truths about the state of play in Australia into sharp focus. While incredible innovations and technological enhancements are happening quickly, we still have much work to do. The benefits of getting this right for our economy should blow away the competing voices. Governments must start investing in promoting cycling’s many benefits. Sure, we need to deliver better cycling infrastructure, but let’s start promoting the health benefits of recreational cycling! We need to get more people on bikes. It sounds so simple, but our leaders make it so hard. The e-bike displays at Eurobike were quite something, and this market will keep growing. But how can it grow here with the myriad of state laws and standards that are confusing and negatively impacting the…

Fukuoka Prefecture lies in Kyushu, the furthest west of Japan’s four main islands. Vastly different from the islands of the Shimanami, where I might usually be found cycling, Fukuoka Prefecture offers a little bit of everything …coastal views across the Japan Sea, endless emerald rice fields, hills through hidden forests of sugi and bamboo, the ‘inaka’ (deep country) experience, and tea. Yes, there is more tea than you can drink in a day! With inbound tourism growing rapidly in Japan, I find it endlessly frustrating to read the frequent articles about ‘over-touristed’ Japan; Kyoto streets are a shambles, with locals becoming increasingly frustrated at not even being able to catch a bus to work. Or worse still, hearing about the limited experiences of tourists only touching on the ‘golden tourist…

The cycling industry is moving fast. Currently, upgrades aren’t just frequent – they’re expensive. But what if your bike still rides beautifully, fits like a glove, and climbs like it always did? What if you could fall in love with it again, without dropping $10k on the latest everything? We spoke with riders and painters across Australia to explore three creative and cost-conscious ways to transform your ride: a custom frame wrap, a DIY paint job, or a full professional respray. Each offers more than just a cosmetic boost – it’s a way to reconnect with your bike’s personality and your own. Wrap it: dressing your bike Peter Reynolds has been transforming bikes for over a decade through Bunnyhop Wraps, a vinyl-based alternative to paint that’s revolutionised the way riders…

Benno, E-Mono, Eunorau, Ezee, Tern, Tribe, Vamos, Yuba, O2Feel, Trek… The list of brands and their line-ups is long and, due to their increasing popularity, continues to grow. So, where to start? Well, before going into a bike shop and handing over your hard-earned, do lots of research, because the fact is, cargo bikes don’t come cheap. Think five grand – and the rest – for a decent one. Also, not all bike shops carry cargo bikes. Where I live in Sydney, I would say less than one in five carries them. And some only carry one brand, making it difficult to compare. The first thing you need to ask yourself is: What will I be transporting, and how often? Kids (how many – and don’t forget your child has…

It wasn’t long ago that the Specialissima was Bianchi’s undisputed lightweight climbing bike, one for the true mountain goats. Nowadays, things aren’t quite so simple. While it’s still magnificent on the ramps and cols – and Bianchi, unlike many of its rivals, still maintains its standalone aero platform, the Oltre – the Specialissima has a few more tricks up its carbon sleeves. It’s evolved into a true aero-optimised all-rounder, just as capable for most riders on the flat as it is on the hills. In fact, after six hugely enjoyable weeks of riding, I’d venture it’s one of the most well-rounded performance road bikes currently available. Returning it was a sad moment, indeed. Background The Specialissima name dates all the way back to 1958 and the days of Fausto Coppi.…

Travelling to Japan on a bike can be challenging, but some tips might help you avoid unnecessary agony. Airline baggage allowance • Check with the airline about the actual size of the bike box allowed on the flight because most airlines differ. • If you think you will be oversized, purchase an oversized luggage allowance before flying. The fee will be higher at the airport check-in. • Make sure that what you pack can easily be extracted for checking and then replaced quickly and easily. Not all Japanese airports have scanning machines large enough to fit a bike box, so it requires manual opening of the box and pulling everything out for security staff to check. • In my experience, Japanese baggage handlers treat any luggage carefully and gracefully. However,…

Most of us who have ridden a bike understand that when and what we choose to eat can impact the quality and enjoyment of a ride. A morning ride not supported by a meal can leave you drained by lunch or ravenously hungry by mid-afternoon. While we cannot control the weather, our nutritional choices are entirely within our grasp and can enhance the enjoyment and performance of our rides. Here we explore some valuable tips for fuelling before, during, and after cycling, as both our mind and body deserve optimal nutrients. Before riding In the ongoing discussion of whether to eat before cycling, my response is a classic: “It depends.” Consider the following factors for your pre-ride meal: • What is the intensity of your ride? • Are you a…

But it seems that not many of us are doing it. In the most recent Australian Census taken in 2021, only 0.7 per cent of the workforce reported commuting by bike. Although you could argue that the COVID pandemic had a significant influence on that low rate, it was only one per cent of workers in 2016. To help you think about how commuting by bike could work for you, here are our top tips for getting started. Which bike? Ideally, you want a bike that’s not worth thousands of dollars, particularly if you need to leave it in a communal storage area or even tethered to a post during the day. You might have an old bike you haven’t touched since you bought your lovely road bike, or you…

The Tempr CFR is Canyon’s first venture into the competitive bike shoe-making business. Did they hit the spot? Although they weigh a few grams more than some of their leaner category rivals, in real terms, that’s negligible. The design and performance of this well-thought-out, subtly presented, and innovative shoe are well worth the minuscule weight of an extra inch of sock length. Canyon brought in a leading industry shoe designer to craft the Tempr and partnered with leading insole makers Solestar (who work with Lidl Trek) to produce a whole new footbed, a shoe-specific insole, and an elasticated sock-like system (instead of a traditional tongue). They also collaborated with Boa to create a “floating” double Li12 dial system, which they term PureFit360 & PerformFit Wrap. The stiff carbon sole plate…

In an age where life’s chaos often derails even the best intentions, Adelaide’s Matt Sparnon has quietly built one of the most remarkable streaks in Australian cycling. For over 2,400 plus consecutive days – more than six and a half years – he has turned the pedals without fail. Rain, injury, work, travel – nothing has stood in the way. Last year alone, he rode more than 43,000km. Sparnon isn’t just consistent, he’s prolific. In the elite racing world and beyond, he’s earned a reputation as Australia’s most relentless and disciplined cyclist. Matt was a Junior World Champion in 1996, a Master Australian Champion in 2019, 2023, and 2024, and is still racing the ProVelo Super League in 2025. The man is unstoppable. How many days in a row have…

I remember being surprised, but also delighted when I heard that Rwanda will host the UCI World Championships in September. Surprised, because after visiting Rwanda eight years ago I didn’t see a road bike anywhere, and delighted because it was such an amazing place to visit and deserves to have the world spotlight upon it. I went to Rwanda as part of an add-on trip to my African safari holiday, to see the famous mountain gorillas. We only spent four days there and most of it was travelling to and from the Volcanoes National Park in the north of the country, but that short journey provided a delightful snapshot of the developing nation. Our first stop was the mandatory visit to a museum that tells the story of the horrific…

It’s the cradle of human civilisation. Yet, for millennia, the story of Africa has been one shaped by turbulence, change and conflict, and in more recent centuries the far reaching impacts of colonialism. This brings us neatly to cycling. For given the inescapable French, Belgian, Dutch, British, German and Italian influences that continue to touch almost every corner of the African continent – not to mention a rather Europeanfriendly time zone – in some ways it’s surprising the UCI Road World Championships have taken so long to reach these shores. Then again, there’s a counter-argument that it’s precisely because of these colonial associations that bike racing, historically considered a ‘white person sport’, has been slow to gain traction unlike the continent’s first sporting love, football, which has flourished for decades.…

O Cycle Japan is an adventure cycling company in Japan that invites travellers to explore the nation’s hidden gems on two wheels. Based in the Kansai region, the company specialises in semi-supported self-guided tours, blending exhilarating rides with deep cultural immersion. Their routes cross diverse regions, from iconic seaside bridges, riverside pathways, mountain passes, and ancient pilgrimage paths. Every journey is thoughtfully designed to balance challenge and enjoyment, with opportunities to engage in local traditions – tea ceremonies, craft workshops, and culinary delights. Accommodations vary from traditional Japanese-style hotels – Ryokans – to Western-style hotels, often with access to soothing onsen baths after a day’s ride. Safety and sustainability are at the core of the experience, support, and quality bikes provided. O Cycle Japan caters to cyclists of all abilities,…

While many Australians enjoy the delightful early morning warble of the Aussie magpie, they become the enemy of many cyclists when some male rogues divebomb unsuspecting riders during Spring. For the record, this writer really loves birds and thinks they play a key role in our urban environments, but I’m not so keen when they dive bomb me while I’m riding by. But like many threats in life, you can feel much more relaxed about the idea by changing your attitude towards swooping magpies. Most magpies don’t swoop cyclists at all, and of those that do, very few will make contact with you. Those that connect will usually just tap lightly on your helmet and then leave you alone. If you’ve been swooped by one, you’ll also have noticed that…

On paper, this gravel riding attire ticks all the boxes for what makes my favourite cycle clothing: beautiful fabric, well-sewn, an elastic interface pad with really dense foam in it, and unconventional jersey graphics. SuperSYSTEM Bib Shorts The bibs have one large snug pocket on each thigh – a perfect place for even the largest phones, or several snack bars. I tried my favourite jumps trail on a MTB and confirm the phone doesn’t move around at all. The third pocket is on the back between the bib straps. It is intended to hold a drink-pack bladder. Aside from being difficult to load, getting the bibs on with more than a kilo flopping about in the pocket is awkward – it sits well once it’s in place. SuperSYSTEM Jersey The…

All the previous Knog bike lights I’ve seen were small, colourful, and funky-looking, and they were not overly effective. That all changed when I received the new Knog Blinder 1300 for review. As the name suggests, it’s a 1,300-lumen front light that changed my brand perception. Bike light technology has come a long way in a short time. I recall buying the latest model of front bike lights about 15 years ago, which were the ‘bee's knees’ of lights at the time. The lights themselves were compact, included a chunky battery pack, and had just half the lumens of this new Knog. The Knog Blinder is compact and bright, reflecting the advances in lighting technology. It effectively illuminated the dark roads I tested it on. It comes with two mounts…

If this year’s Giro d’Italia was anything to go by, then by the time you pick up a copy of this magazine, the 2025 Vuelta a España (August 23-September 14) should be hitting all the right notes and quite possibly be just as good. Four months on, I find myself still thinking about the 108th edition of La Corsa Rosa and what a humdinger it was. Prior to the start in Albania on May 9, there were no less than 10 bona fide contenders vying for the maglia rosa – compare this with the Tour de France, which, for the past six editions, has been a two-horse race. (n.b. I’m penning this Spin Cycle before Le Tour has even begun, but crashes aside, it’s gonna be Tadej Pogačar or Jonas…