Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2016 i Cycling Plus

£1500 SPECIFICATION WEIGHT 9.83kg (54cm) FRAME Doublebutted 6061 aluminium FORK Carbon gravel fork, alloy steerer, 15mm thru-axle GEARS SRAM Rival 1x, SRAM S350 44, 10-42 BRAKES SRAM Rival HRD hydraulic disc with 160mm rotors WHEELS American Classic TCX tubeless FINISHING KIT RSP+ alloy bar and stem, RSP+ carbon seatpost, Selle Royal Sirio saddle 35mm Schwalbe G1 tyres Its evocative name If you were around for the early days of UK mountain biking, you will have seen the original Raleigh Mustang, its exotically painted tubes promising uninhibited exploration. Before the drive for lightness, comfort and more performance, early mountain bikes opened up a whole new world. With a drop bar, 1x transmission and balloon tyres, today’s Mustang maintains some of the original bike’s ethos. Its all-round ability Raleigh’s Gravel Road geometry,…

1 Less is more At just 283g for the pair, the 180s are seriously light. But as this is DT Swiss we’re talking about, that doesn’t mean a compromise in quality – these are some of the best-built hubs in the world. 2 Harder, smoother, faster Are stainless steel bearings just too ordinary for you? DT has kitted these out with ultra-hard ceramic ones, which aren’t cheap but promise long life and low rolling resistance. No one needs ceramic bearings, but goodness we all want them. 3 Black beauty There isn’t a roadie product under the sun that can’t be improved in some way by carbon. Where DT’s other hubs have forged aluminium bodies, the 180s substitute that for a carbon central sleeve for minimum weight and maximum bling. 4…

If you’re transporting a disc-equipped bike, Zipp’s 140mm or 160mm diameter neoprene rotor covers are a great idea. They fit snugly in place with a drawstring, and have reinforced edges, jointly protecting the rotors from contaminants or damage, and everything else from the rotors’ sharp edges. ON THE RADAR BIKE TECH OF THE NEAR FUTURE ELECTRIC AVENUE Want to take a break, want to cheat at cyclo-cross? Well, Semcon is developing a 1102g motor, which bolts to your own bike’s downtube and directly drives the rear tyre. It’s aiming for a sub-€100 price. LIGHT METER The new left crank-based Precision 2.0 from 4iiii is claimed to be the ‘world’s first 3D crank-based power meter’. Weighing a mere 9g, it’s designed for aluminium cranks. Prices start from just $399. FLATPACK BIKE?…

Being outside is my release and cycling is a great way to get outdoors I never had a bike as a kid. Maybe I rode a friend’s bike or messed about on one but we couldn’t afford bikes and things like that. My brother had a plastic tricycle and that’s about it. Cycling is still pretty new to me but I love it. My cycling revolution started when I got injured. I do a lot of running and marathons and when I injured my hip (in 2013) I was told I couldn’t run for three months. I hate sitting still so I taught myself to cycle and swim instead. The cycling world wasn’t ready for my fashion tastes. On my first training camp in Greece I rocked up in sports…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.57kg (XL) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Tiagra, 50/34, 12-28 Brakes Shimano Tiagra Wheels Giant SR-2 Finishing kit Giant Connect stem and bar, Giant carbon seatpost, Giant Performance Road saddle, 23mm Giant P-SL1 tyres The TCR has the kind of get-up-and-go response that you don’t expect from a £1000 bike Giant’s TCR Advanced Pro SL1 scored highly in 2016’s Bike of the Year Awards. It proved itself to be a genuinely impressive machine that offers everything you’d want from a racing thoroughbred. Which is exactly what you’d expect for a bike that costs £4299. But what can you expect from a bike that’s a quarter of the price? Well, if it’s the TCR Advanced 3, quite a lot, actually. The chassis looks slender compared to the previous…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.42kg (58cm) Frame FACT 9r carbon Fork FACT carbon Gears Shimano 105, (FSA Gossamer 52/36) 11-28 Brakes: Axis 2.0 Wheels Axis 2.0 Finishing kit Specialized Comp stem and bar, carbon post, BG Toupé saddle, 24mm S-Works Turbo Gripton tyres This Tarmac has a truly rapid turn of speed and if you stand up on the pedals it simply wants to go The heart of any bike is its frame and fork, and provided they’re sound, you’re well on the way to having a great bike. And Specialized’s Tarmac Sport chassis is very sound. The frame design shares the same shapes and tube profiles as Specialized’s range-topping S-Works Tarmac, featuring its signature arched top-tube that flattens out in profile as it nears the seat-tube. The seatstays are triangular, much…

ENDURANCE CONSPIRACY DARK SIDE £22 Someone’s clearly been drinking very strong coffee. Take Pink Floyd’s classic 1973 album cover, add a bike-related twist, and you get Dark Side of the Worlds. A super soft-feeling T-shirt for riders to reminisce about world championships watched and prog listened to while looking cool. Far out! VELOLOVE ENJOY CYCLO-CROSS £25 Velolove embraces all cycling codes, and this bold organic cotton number is a cheeky play on a certain carbonated drink manufacturer’s logo. While we’re not advocating soft drinks, we do love cyclo-cross, and if the red’s too much, this generously sized one also comes in black with red script instead. ENDURANCE CONSPIRACY CAMPY VAN £22 If, like us, you’re a fan of VW’s camper van and Campagnolo’s components, then this just might be for…

WE SAY They’re tough, ride like the wind, stop impressively and don’t cost the earth HIGHS Price, weight, performance, braking LOWS Little to fault EVER RIDDEN A pair of wheels with Nobel prize-winning ingredients? Neither had we until now. While they look like other carbon road wheels, beneath the surface lies a layer of Graphene - ‘G+’ in Vittoria speak - which is being touted as the next wonder material. It’s a transparent, super-electrical conductor which cools rapidly, is 150 times stronger than steel but 20 per cent more elastic. All this in something that’s a single layer of carbon atoms thick, which is unfathomably thin compared to the carbon sheets sandwiching it. Vittoria claims the Graphene makes the Quranos stronger and laterally stiffer, with greater impact resistance, but also…

NAME: Andrew Warner RIDE: Lapierre 914 mountain bike or Trek Madone road bike LOCATION: Kintail, Scotland STYLE: As fast as possible I set out that day with two other riders. We normally ride around the valleys of Stroud in Gloucestershire – great for climbing and descending with fantastic views along the way – but today we had climbed to the highest point of the Kintail Epic ride on Scotland’s stunning west coast. It’s a great ride – about 19 miles long with a bit of hike-a-bike and some incredible views. We’d reached approximately 2200ft and were just about to begin a glorious 9km downhill section when I took the photo. SECOND BARRY BROWN RIDE: Giant Trance X 0 29er LOCATION: Strathcannon, Scotland STYLE: Mountain biking on natural wild trails When…

The Bianchi leading the pack is a thoroughbred from its 22-speed gearing to its Celeste-coloured frame. The Wilier gaining ground has the latest single-ring setup and a high-modulus carbon frame while the Storck has full-carbon THM cranks. All are top-notch Continental lightweights, but though we’re in the Dalby Forest that hosted the recent Tour de Yorkshire Sportive, today we’re off road. If you’re thinking, ‘Cycling Plus is no place for mountain bikes’, well, over half of our readers own one. The second thing to realise is that mountain biking isn’t just lunatics launching down mountain sides in motocross pyjamas and full-face helmets. In fact it’s just as diverse as road cycling, and when it comes to cyclo-cross and gravel/adventure riding these two worlds are getting closer together, which is perhaps…

WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION? 1 “First of all, it’s okay to want the best tech as a keen amateur rider. Why wouldn’t you? But you should work out what you want and why. At Team Sky we only use wearable devices because we have specific questions we’re trying to answer. Take sleep, for example. If a rider is struggling with sleep we’ll try and capture sleep data to find out more.” BUYER BEWARE 2 “Accuracy is still debatable on some fitness gadgets, but as long as you know what you’re buying and are aware that it may not be 100 per cent accurate, you can make an informed decision. For example, Fitbits are known to be +/-25 per cent in accuracy because the data measured is simplified. This can still be…

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? Dehydration is what happens when you lose too much of the water in your body. During cycling, you can lose up to 1.4 litres per hour through sweat – that’s the equivalent of two large bidons. The evaporation effect caused by air passing over you might make it feel as though you’re not sweating much when riding outdoors but wring out your jersey after a turbo session and you’ll see just how much perspiration you’re really producing. HOW DOES IT AFFECT ME? Conventional wisdom states that a two per cent loss in body weight due to dehydration is enough to impair your performance. But while dehydration is definitely something to avoid, recent studies suggest its effects may not be felt so soon. Time trials performed outside (ie…

STAGE 01 SATURDAY 2 JULY MONT-SAINT-MICHEL — UTAH BEACH SAINTE-MARIE-DU-MONT DISTANCE 188KM TERRAIN FLAT The 2016 Tour de France kicks off with a road stage instead of the traditional prologue time trial, starting on the oncesubmerged causeway that links the breathtaking Mont Saint-Michel monastery and the mainland. Despite the expected British invasion via the ferry ports, the Grand Départ in the Manche region will have a very French flavour. The finish comes after 188km of racing on flat country roads that head north via the west coast before finishing along the seafront of Utah Beach and Sainte-Marie-Du–Mont, made famous by the D-Day landings of World War II. The sprinters are expected to dominate on the long straight finish but crosswinds could make things difficult for everyone. STAGE 02 SUNDAY 3…

CHRIS FROOME TEAM SKY The first British rider to win the Tour twice, Froome could make another slice of history this year by joining the seven members of the hat-trick club. He was a convincing winner last year and the parcours seems to suit him even better this time around. MARK CAVENDISH DIMENSION DATA Cavendish is the greatest sprinter the Tour has seen but his chances of adding to his 26 stage wins hinge largely on a phone call he’ll receive in June. If included in GB’s Olympic track team, July becomes a lesser focus and he may pull out before Paris. STEPHEN CUMMINGS DIMENSION DATA The 35-year-old won his first ever Tour stage last year, and he’ll be looking to do the same again if circumstances allow. Having spent…

NOW INTO ITS third year, La Course by La Tour de France has been part of a resurgence in women’s cycling. The race was the result of a campaign for the women’s Tour de France to return by riders such as Emma Pooley and Marianne Vos. Pooley happened to be the last winner of the original women’s Tour, and Vos the third place finisher in that 2009 race. While they didn’t get the stage race that they hoped for race organisers ASO inaugurated the one-day event, and it could pave the way for a longer, multiday event in the future. Its creation also sparked a rush of new races on the women’s calendar, including its sister event La Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta. La Course sees the riders sprint for…

The flattened chainstays and slender, kinked seatstays smooth out the roughest roads SPECIFICATION Weight 8.73kg (56cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon, Gears Shimano Tiagra, (52/36 FSA Omega BB30 chainset), 11-28 Brakes Tektro Wheels Maddux RS2.0 Finishing kit Cannondale C3 stem, bar and 27.2mm seatpost, Cannondale Stage Ergo saddle, 25mm Schwalbe Lugano tyres The SuperSix Evo’s frame configuration is exactly the sort of thing that gets us excited about race bikes: steepish, parallel headand seat-tube angles and a short, sub-metre wheelbase. It’s an arrangement that contributes to a machine with a real snap in the way it changes direction, and provides a riding position that’s low, long and aggressive. So far, so good. But this model is made from standard-modulus carbon rather than the highmodulus equivalent used in the prolevel Team frame.…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.42kg (XL) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano 105, 52/36, 11-28 Brakes Shimano 105 Wheels Mavic Aksium Finishing kit Zipp Service Course stem and bar, Lapierre carbon seatpost, 25mm Michelin Dynamic sport tyres It would seem FDJ’s riders appear to have surprisingly similar requirements for their bikes as the rest of us Lapierre is the longtime bike supplier to the French FDJ cycling team, and this frame – with different kit – is the same their riders use on mountain stages. It has a claimed frame weight of just 850g and features a massive BB86 bottom bracket shell, while the fork has a muscular crown that segues seamlessly into the tapered headtube. The inset front brake adds to the beefy, purposeful look. The design is partly the result…

HIGHS Weight, price, performance, colours LOWS Slightly sharp edge to braking track THE ELITE IS THE CLOSEST descendent of 1999’s original Ksyrium, which for many years was the benchmark wheelset. Mavic has been constantly refining them since then and for 2016 has given the Elites a newlook rim. It uses an updated version of Mavic’s interspoke-milling process (ISM 4D) that shaves away even more metal without sacrificing strength at the spoke junctions, resulting in rims that are said to weigh 405g each. The rims have also increased in width. For a company that’s so often been at the cuttingedge of development, Mavic has been cautious in its adoption of the ‘wider is better’ maxim. The French company has followed the ETRTO (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation) recommendations for rim…

HIGHS Much improved rear light, and a simple-to-use camera that could prove a godsend LOWS Still quite bulky CYCLING IS NOWHERE near as dangerous as sections of the media – and probably some cyclists – would have us believe. But there are a few things we can all do to make ourselves safer, most notably using decent lighting at night. But even this might not be enough, and you may still get hit, which is where the likes of the Fly6 come into play. Not only does the Fly6 feature a rear light, it is accompanied by an integrated HD camera that will record both video and audio should the worst actually happen, which could potentially prove invaluable in an insurance case or even in the law courts. This was…

SS Jersey £130 Bib Shorts £180 Reflective Socks £20 Club Cap £30 Rapha’s Brevet kit favours practicality and all-day comfort. The jersey’s Sportwool fabric is cut in a good but not tight fit, offering warmth in cool air, while not cooking you in the sun. It dries fast, doesn’t flap, the bold stripes are reflective, the collar snug, and three drop pockets are joined by a zipped chest pocket and vast zipped rear pocket. A perforated multidensity pad means the bibs are really comfortable and can be washed and dried overnight. The fabric is soft, stretchy and forgiving, with a broad silicone gripper that’s not too tight, and the reflective stripe on each leg is perforated. The Merino socks have terry towelling beneath the ball of the foot to stop…

COLOUR ME GOOD “Vibrant kits can be great when they’re coordinated, but when you wear clothing that features heavy blocks of clashing colours, you’ll look like a clown. Bib shorts that are black or black with coloured detailing will help you coordinate combinations – choosing zany shorts will limit how often you get to use them if they don’t match anything else in your wardrobe besides that zany jersey you bought.” BE UNFLAPPABLE AND EMBRACE A CLOSE CUT FIT “Fit can make or break your ride enjoyment. Flappy jerseys slow you down and a badly positioned chamois looks like a nappy. Look for garments that use precision cut sleeves to minimise the chances of them bunching up without being too tight. Single seam bibs will improve comfort and nothing shouts…

BE RUTHLESS 1 Inner tubes you’re going to fix one day, a pile of old tyres that will be ‘good for the turbo’, sprockets from an old cassette that are ‘still good’, training wheels you never use any more, lights that stopped working years ago, maybe even an old steel bike that you’re going to lovingly restore just as soon as you get the time. And the funds. All this stuff is getting in the way, taking up valuable space and hiding from sight the things you really do need, like that 5mm Allen key that doesn’t seem to be with the others. It’s time to be ruthless. If you haven’t touched it in a year, ask yourself whether you really need it. You might, in an emergency, but be…

HAVE ACHIEVABLE GOALS Switching to cycling to work is one of the best decisions you can make. Making it, however, can be daunting. Depending on how far your commute is, don’t start out aiming to ride the whole distance every day, that can be a long-term goal. To start with commit yourself to perhaps twice a week, or if your journey will take more than an hour by bike look into whether it would be possible to drive some of the way and cycle the rest. Try it out on a weekend to get an idea how long it will take. BEAT THE TRAFFIC Don’t just switch from driving in a traffic jam to cycling through the same polluted stalemate, look for a quieter, more interesting route. Despite chronic underfunding,…

The Haydon Hundred When 04.06.16 Where Northumberland, UK Distance 60, 100 & 140 km Includes three spectacular routes. The longest Skyrider Route includes 5 of the 6 highest roads in England. The 100k Classic tackles the cobbled climb of Alston and the 60k Challenge crosses beautiful Plenmeller Common. E entries@haydonhundred.co.uk W haydonhundred.co.uk Midland Monster When 15.05.16 Where Burton on Trent, UK Distance 44, 75 & 104 miles This well-established CC Giro Sportive offers riders three challenging rides on quiet and attractive lanes. All routes are fully signposted and include regular feed stations with motorcycle assistance if needed. E jperks30@gmail.com E tomtomtwo1@gmail.com The West Riding Classic When 30.04.16 Where Yorkshire Dales, UK Distance 33, 60 & 75 miles The West Riding Classic is a non-competitive road cycle over the beautiful Yorkshire…

1 NEW HORIZONS When you’re already one of the biggest sportives in the world, how do you make yourselves even bigger? You could increase your numbers or you could do what La Marmotte has done and expand into new territories. 2 ANIMAL MAGIC The Alpine event took its name from the Marmot, a large squirrel found on Alpe d’Huez, the final climb on the Alpine Marmotte event. As it happens, the animals were reintroduced to the Pyrenees - fitting, really, for this event. 3 BIGGER IS BETTER At 174km and 5000m of climbing, La Marmotte has always had a fearsome reputation, ascending classic cols including Glandon, Galibier and Alpe d’Huez. The formula has been repeated -and then some - in the Pyrenees. 4 TOURMALET TWO TIMES The course is a…

TEAM SKY CHRIS FROOME LAST YEAR’S WINNER AIMS TO BE THE FIRST SINCE INDURAIN TO DEFEND HIS TITLE... The British rider lines up at the Tour de France as the defending champion and the man to beat after a commanding performance in last year’s race. Froome’s 2015 win was built on four key foundations: extracting time from his rivals at every opportunity during the first week; holding his own in the time trials; putting in one definitive race-winning attack in the mountains; then defending his lead all the way to Paris. It’s hard to see him shifting from that blueprint and with Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard and Wout Poels at his side, Team Sky are more than capable of dominating on the flats as well as in the mountains. This…

SPECIFICATION Weight 7.28kg (L) Frame Carbon fibre Fork Carbon fibre Gears Campagnolo Chorus, 52/36, 12-29 Brakes Campagnolo Chorus Wheels Campagnolo Zonda Finishing kit FSA Energy stem and bar, Promax carbon seatpost, Selle San Marco Aspide saddle, 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres Wilier’s GTR SL chassis stood out among its competitors in our recent bike of the year awards, with the Shimano Ultegraequipped model taking top honours in the £2000-£2750 category. We found the SL frameset a real joy to ride. Its geometry may be race biased, but it’s not so extreme that the less flexible of us will find it a back-breaking experience. The rear triangle, meanwhile, has the perfect amount of compliance required to prevent what is a stiff machine feeling choppy over rougher surfaces. The steering response is…

ROOTS MANOEUVRE Peter Sagan his temporarily turning his attentions back to where it all began for him: mountain biking. He’s competing in two off-road races this spring. IMAX POWER Indoor cycling is going large. IMAX, they of the huge cinema screens, has launched IMAXShift, turbo training sessions that look to be an assault on the senses. ALL IS QUIET Tommy Tranquillo of Cycling Digest, an online review of bike mags, has called time on his blog. “Worth buying” were his final thoughts on Cycling Plus (a cherrypicked quote that Tommy would have derided as lazy journalism). SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES The halting of the disc brake trial in the pro peloton has had a knock-on effect for amateur riders. The devices are now banned in all events run under the…

If you’re not in the know, San Franciso-based Mash SF is a bike shop, racing team and creative outfit rolled into one, and the paintwork on this fella has been designed by the company’s long-time graphic designer Garrett Chow. After all, the Italian company Cinelli and style have long been synonymous. The Mash Parallax Cyanotype is made from Columbus Airplane aluminium with a carbon fork, and it’s designed for criterium racing and velodrome action, hence the absence of brakes. It’s yours for £1150 complete or £800 for the frameset.…

The new on-street toilets in Taiwan’s capital Taipei, are big. Big enough to for you and your bike. And bringing your bike in isn’t just a convenient but uncouth move to keep your two-wheeled steed in sight; there are signs encouraging you to do it. It’s a boon for everyday cyclists like me. No more crosslegged misery finding a park, then squeezing, panniers in hand, into a phonebox-sized loo. (For younger readers, a phonebox was a special kind of public toilet that had a landline telephone in it.) As cyclists, we’re told to hydrate constantly. We’re supposed to drink when we’re thirsty, and drink before we get thirsty. Quite right too: dehydration headaches are worse than hangovers. But what goes in has to come out. And when you cycle at…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.58kg (59cm) Frame CF2 Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano 105, (Shimano RS500 50/34), 11-28 Brakes Merida PRO by Tektro Wheels Alex Comp 24 Finishing kit Merida Controltech stem and bar, Merida carbon post, Merida Race 1 saddle, 23mm Continental Ultrasport II tyres A bike that’s brilliant through turns, it hooks up lines with the minimum of steering effort Taiwan is home to a whole host of bike manufacturers, including two of the world’s biggest: Giant and Merida. Both companies make bikes under their own name, as well as frames for other brands, and they’re both title sponsors of pro-tour teams (Giant-Alpecin and Lampre-Merida). Merida, however, currently claims the distinction of being the manufacturer of the lightest frame, with its 680g Scultura 9000 – too light for even the…

SPECIFICATION Weight 7.74kg (55cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra, 52/36, 11-28 Brakes FSA Gossamer Wheels Fulcrum Racing 7 LG Finishing kit Reparto Corse stem and bar, Selle San Marco Concor saddle, 25mm Vittoria Pro Slick tyres, Elite Padron bottle cage The Oltre uses the frame that’s actually ridden by the LottoNL-Jumbo riders Bianchi’s pro-level Specialissima nabbed our 2016 Bike of the Year in the money-noobject ‘superbike’ category in May’s issue, but that came with a supercharged £7800 price tag. At £3000 the Italian company’s Oltre XR.1 isn’t exactly cheap either, especially considering the bikes it’s up against in this test. But it’s worth remembering that the Oltre uses the frame that’s actually ridden by the Bianchi-sponsored LottoNL-Jumbo pro team’s riders, rather than simply being a machine that shares…

WE SAY The SLR X-Cross adds more comfort, grip and protection to a much-loved saddle design HIGHS Weight, ruggedness, grip, comfort LOWS Only suits narrow sit bones REMEMBER THE DAYS when saddles were pretty much the same no matter what use they were intended for? There was a time when it didn’t matter whether you were time trialling, road racing or riding around a muddy field, a saddle was a saddle, was a saddle. But in the same way that bikes have gradually evolved to fill – or create – increasingly specific niches, saddles have also begun to develop along progressively more specialised lines. Selle Italia’s range has now become so specialised that there’s an almost bewildering array of saddles in its line-up, with multiple versions of the same model.…

WE SAY The Pedro’s is a solid stand for the serious spanner specialist HIGHS Clever clamp design , ease of use, portability LOWS Pretty pricey and it’s not the lightest stand around THERE ARE LOTS OF TOOLS YOU CAN DO without, but a workstand is one piece of equipment that truly enriches your workshop experience. Pedro’s repair stand arrives folded in a useful carry case that’s approximately 116cm long and 22cm in diameter, and the whole lot weighs a reasonable 9kg. It unfolds in a matter of seconds, with quickrelease levers locking the legs and the upper column in place. The hinged head flips round 270 degrees to its working position, secured by a third quick-release, although on our test stand this didn’t have much effect. It doesn’t matter, however,…

There is a place for some high intensity training, but not in isolation 1 TRAINING COURTNEY ROWE LEAD COACH AT ROWE & KING “My advice to anyone starting out is to find a quality group in your area that you can ride with. One that started out at entry level but has moved on, one that will understand where you’re at and encourage you to progress. “The other thing would be to find someone you have faith in and take only their advice, so you’re just taking advice from one person. When you get into a club or large group environment you’ll find that everybody will have an opinion and will want to share it with you, and many will only have been riding a year or two themselves. Instead…

In association with As a cyclist, there are few feelings better than stumbling across a stunning location that almost no one else will ever see. It’s one of the best things about the sport – the freedom and ability to explore new places, seek out challenges, and see a side to the world that’s closed off to the general population. But the team at Boardman Bikes doesn’t need to be to told what it is that makes the sport so addictive. They’re riders themselves, all the way up to Olympic gold medallist and three-times holder of the Hour Record, Chris Boardman. That’s why Boardman Bikes defines itself as ‘out there with you’. Whether you’re on the trails, on the road, or feeling the burn after a hard day’s riding, the…

ROLLING RELIEF “You can ease a cramp in your calf without dismounting,” says Phil Morel, cycling physiotherapist with wimbledonphysio.co.uk. “Calf cramps can be countered by putting the crank at 5 o’clock, sliding back in the saddle, locking your knee and dropping your heel to stretch the calf.” BARE YOUR SOLE If cramp strikes the muscles in the soles it can cause a crippling pain. “Find a safe stretch of road, grab your toes and bend them back as far as your shoe will allow,” says Morel. (This can be difficult with carbon soled shoes.) “If the cramp persists then dismount, take off your shoe and repeat.” HOLD HANDS “Should cramp strike in one of your hands, bend it backwards at the wrist,” says Morel. “Then contract and relax the hand…

Peter Sagan’s is like a startled meerkat, Sir Bradley Wiggins’s you could serve your dinner on and Chris Froome’s is like a daddy longlegs doing battle with an octopus. Bike positions come in all manner of shapes and styles but are unique to each individual, where comfort and power are balanced to create the most efficient position possible. That’s as true if you’re bidding to win the Tour de France or, like the riders of Team Cycling Plus this season, trying to finish your first RideLondon sportive. With their Cannondale Synapses, the bikes they’ll be riding at the event in late July, soon to be shipped, we sent the team over to TRI UK in Yeovil for a fitting on the GURU Fit system. If you’re a long-time Cycling Plus…

Giving the road-racing season a coherent shape and structure is like trying to build a multi-storey car park out of milk-soaked Shreddies. It’s best not to try. The year starts with a burgeoning portfolio of sun-baked stage races, so beloved of riders, and so behated by the viewing public. We tune in to watch them of course, but after two months without a bike race to lull us to sleep on the telly, frankly we’d watch a training ride on a dual carriageway. Which is fortunate, because that’s exactly what these desert races are; practice races for sprinters. Then it all gets wildly, weirdly European, with minor stage races popping up across the continent (well the Latin-speaking ones), featuring lots of French teams, and the odd cameo from a few…

WHEN CHRIS FROOME infamously pulled away from Bradley Wiggins on La Toussuire in the 2012 Tour, and Team Sky’s leader pleaded for it to stop over race radio, it was the defining moment of what proved to be a fractious relationship. “I find it very hard to see things with ‘G’ going that way,” Froome said at the start of this season, but he did acknowledge that the rise of ‘G’ – aka Geraint Thomas – means that his own heels are now the ones being snapped at. Thomas, who in the first half of last year had success in Classics and stage races alike, was the revelation of last year’s Tour, supporting Froome but riding himself into the top five, and staying there until the efforts cruelly took their…