Innehållsförteckning för August 2015 från Cycling Plus

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.05kg (M) Frame Generation 5 UD carbon monocoque Fork Supra Generation 5 carbon monocoque 1.5 Gears Shimano Ultegra, 50/34, 11-25 Brakes Shimano Ultegra Wheels Supra RA Pro Finishing kit Deda RHM01 aluminium bar, Deda Zero1 aluminium stem, Supra Speed Line aluminium seatpost, San Marco Aspide saddle, 23mm Schwalbe Lugano tyres If you were asked to define a typical Dutch road bike, Sensa’s Giulia would be pretty close. In a land famed for lanky, crosswind conquering rouleurs, bikes are built tough and fast. With chunky carbon frame tubes, beefy asymmetric chainstays and a 1.5in lower headset bearing, the Giulia can handle the knocks. It’s no wafty endurance machine, as its idea of terrain smoothing is to steamroller a path straight through it. That’s not to say it’s harsh, because…

1 Rub it better... Muc-Off’s athlete protection range is made from all natural, nontoxic and skin friendly ingredients, and each is claimed to offer real performance benefits. 2 More power The Amino Explosive Power EP balm uses what Muc-Off calls Amino Patch Technology. Ingredients include Arginine aminos claimed to help make nitric oxide (NO), which dilates the blood vessels leading to an increase in blood supply to treated muscles. These vessels carry more oxygen and nutrients to strengthen muscles, the immune system and increase energy levels. Arginine also has a claimed vasodilating effect (widening of the blood vessels) reducing heart workload and improving cardiovascular performance. 3 Go further The Ultra Endurance UE balm contains Amino Taurine, which helps the body convert glycogen into glucose to fuel your muscles. It’s claimed…

With the UCI taking its first steps towards the approval of disc brakes for road racing, the market for high-end disc-compatible wheels is rapidly expanding. The £1650 F4D FCC is hand-built in the Netherlands and marries DT Swiss’ ultra-reliable 240s CenterLock disc hubs to 45mm deep carbon rims. The 1560g weight should make these competitive with many lower-profile options. ON THE RADAR BIKE TECH OF THE NEAR FUTURE STAR TREK Riders from Trek Factory Racing were spotted at the Critérium du Dauphiné aboard the new Madone, a bike we’ve now seen and which makes more nods to aerodynamics than previous iterations. LEFT FIELD Is Cannondale’s Lefty offroad fork coming to the road? That’s the suggestion in a company teaser video, which shows a gravel road bike with a fork that…

Ah, Cuba. Loud percussive rhythms, aromatic distilled liquids, fragrant smoke. No, not salsa, rum or cigars: the 1950s limos – clanking, smelling of petrol, and belching out such fumes they’d instantly fail an emissions test in the UK, from Cuba. I’ve just cycled it end-to-end, 1200 miles, four weeks, east to west. The prevailing wind was behind me almost all the way. It’s not all brochure-cover landscape. Sure, the remote south-coast road way down east – mostly impassable for cars due to hurricane damage, but easily rideable – is amazing. And the tobacco-farm valleys and mountains round Viñales out west make for beautiful trundling. But the endless mid-island plains are about as thrilling as Lincolnshire, think Spalding with sugar cane. You don’t come to Cuba for the scenery, though. It’s…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.0kg (55cm) Frame Columbus Condor custom Fork Columbus Grammy Slim/Super Acciaio Gears Campagnolo Athena Carbon, 52/36, 11-28t Brakes Campagnolo Athena dual pivot Wheels Campagnolo Shamal Ultra Finishing kit Fizik stem and bar, Conti Grand Prix 4000S 23mm tyres It’s the only bike here that’s gone through the lengthy and expensive process needed for UCI approval Condor’s shop on Gray’s Inn Road, London, has been a cultural hub for everyone from cycle couriers to Continental pro riders since 1948 and has been producing stylish machines for just as long. The Super Acciaio blends that timeless style and experience with the fruits of its long relationship with Italian tube master Columbus to produce a sporting steeler. If you didn’t know about the rich racing history of Condor – most recently…

SPECIFICATION Weight 9.09kg (57cm) Frame Columbus Spirit Niobium Fork Pegoretti Falz carbon Gears Campagnolo Athena alloy, 50/34, 11-25 Brakes Campagnolo Athena dual pivot Wheels Ambrosio Excellight SSC rims on PMP hubs Finishing kit Deda stem, bar and seatpost, Schwalbe Durano Plus 23mm tyres The welding and alignment is perfect from the extended head-tube to the dropouts We can’t think of another bike we’ve tested that hasn’t had its brand name somewhere on its frame but then Pegoretti isn’t an ordinary brand. There’s an extra irony in the fact that Dario Pegoretti doesn’t plaster his name on his frames either as he built his reputation by creating bikes to be raced under other brand names by the world’s best riders. He started frame building back in 1975 and already had an…

HIGHS Well made and keenly priced LOWS No fit adjustments, coverage isn’t total OF ALL THE kit we buy, eyewear has to be amongst the most susceptible to the whims of fashion. Remember those awful things the size of ski goggles back in the ’80s? Or what about those POC shades pros like Ryder Hesjedal have been pimping, which look like something Kanye West would wear on a night out? Madison’s Mission glasses are straightforward wraparounds with mediumsized lenses that provide decent levels of coverage, although there’s a fair sized gap below the lenses that on really bright days might be annoying. The frames are stout plastic with screwed hinges, with just the right amount of friction to feel good quality. There are vents at the temples that let a…

SHORT-TERM GOALS ARE VITAL Every cyclist needs a long-term goal. You might be a beginner aiming for a first century or Chris Froome eyeing up Tour de France glory. But as the intro says, that ultimate end point is just the final piece of the jigsaw. Without short-term goals you’ll always find a few pieces missing. “If your race is two months down the line, it can be very easy to just bumble along if you don’t have smaller targets to tick off each day,” says Team Sky’s Luke Rowe. “Short-term goals mean you’re achieving something every single day along the way.” TOP TIP If you’re cycling to lose weight, take it step-by-step. It’s great that you’re committing to a stack of unwanted kilos, but it’s not only unrealistic to…

HIGHS Excellent ratchet and dial comfort LOWS High weight, only adequate stiffness Weight 664g (size 44, no cleats) Sizes available 37-49 The ‘polyamide – glass fibre composite sole’ is the same as XLC and Planet X use in their shoes, though ‘ultra-rigid’ is definitely overstating its stiffness. Adequate would be more apt. It has twoand three-bolt cleat compatibility, with extra mesh-protected airflow augmenting the inclusion of both winter and summer weight insoles. The perforated gloss upper gives a superb glove-like fit with a belt-and-braces mix of upper ratchet strap with broad padding beneath it and a lower Atop dial. The combination gives a really secure fit, free of pressure and pinching, across a wide range of test feet. It’s available in tons of sizes too. If its weight troubles you,…

The slowly rising sun throws shadows straight down the road as we tap an apprehensive tempo out of Port de Pollenca, Majorca. We’re a group of four best mates about to face our biggest riding challenge. Ryan spins past on Boardman’s AiR 9.4 Di2 to take a turn on the front and I know I’ll be staring at those brake-free seatstays a lot during this ride. As we swing away from the main road and into farmland, Ben the engine Propels (Giant’s Propel Advanced Pro 0) a big gear up to point duty, but Paul, on the BMC TMR01, is resolved to keeping his nickname of Shadow. I’m hoping he’s feeling like he shouldn’t show his face right now anyway. After Ryan suggested Majorca as this year’s group destination, Paul…

HIGHS One of the best U-Locks ever LOWS You’re still carrying over 1.5kg of steel Weight 1527g Internal dimensions 230x108mm Bolt crop test Passed Portable cutter test 2mins 12 seconds Picked Passed Hammer Passed Considering it weighs ‘only’ a shade over 1.5kg the Granit X Plus performed like an absolute beast. The internal dimensions are just about perfect for fitting around the frame, both wheels and standard street furniture, completely filling the lock to minimise potential leverage. No amount of hammering, picking or levering touched this and considering its reasonable weight, over two minutes of cutting is very respectable. Few potential thieves are going to hang around making noise for anything like that time. If the balance of security and weight is paramount, there’s very little that comes close to…

HAVE A HEART Short of undergoing a labcondition test, one way to get a feel for your maximum cycling heart rate – which is key to training zone work – is to assume you’re an average and use ‘age-predicted’ maximum heart rates (MHR). A number of methods can help with this including MHR = 220 minus your age, or 210 minus (0.65 x age) or 217 minus (0.85 x age). IT’S GOOD TO TALK Just remember that these maximum heart rate formulas are far from scientific and can be out by as much as +/-20 beats per minute, so use them only as a starting point. Alternatively use the ‘talk test’: in this instance when you’re struggling to talk due to physical exertion, assume that you are at 85 per…

CHECK IT OUT 1 When your saddle starts to go south the most likely cause is a seat clamp that’s slipping rather than one that’s broken. Get off and have a look under the saddle, if the clamp has moved but isn’t visibly damaged simply adjust it back into your usual position and tighten all the bolts back up with your multitool. Unless you’ve got particularly fragile carbon seat rails, we suggest you really, really tighten them this time. KEEP IT ZIPPED 2 If you have broken your seat clamp, you’ve got yourself a problem. Luckily, if you keep a selection of zip ties in your saddlepack – and we have suggested that you do on several occasions – you can secure the saddle to the post with these. You’ll…

TRAIN ON PROTEIN Protein synthesis is important for maintaining lean muscle mass, but research shows that you only need 20g of protein post exercise to get an anabolic response (one that will build muscle mass). A balanced approach to your diet is crucial – don’t restrict single macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, fat) especially at breakfast when protein is vital to hunger satiety and develop lean muscle. A glass of milk or a whey protein shake straight after a session in the saddle is a must. GIVE ME STRENGTH Many endurance cyclists shy away from strength training in the misheld belief they will become big and bulky. In the absence of any meaningful strength training riders may get lighter but are unable to put the hammer down and push out big numbers.…

So far in this series we’ve talked a lot about preparing our bodies and minds for the rigours of the Haute Route, but not so much our bikes. These races are the sternest test of equipment so making sure your bike is fully functioning, not just before you head out but after every stage, won’t just ensure you have a good race but more importantly will help keep you safe. It might seem obvious to say that you should get your bike serviced before travelling out to an overseas sportive, but not everyone takes the message on board. That’s the view of Maxime Ruphy, a man who’s seen all manner of pre-race mechanical blunders on the Haute Route as part of Mavic’s neutral service yellow squadron. “Riders will usually get…

Yes, you’ve read the climbing figure above correctly. My Garmin tells me that over the 83 miles of the Tour of Cambridgeshire Gran Fondo on Sunday 7 June I climbed a measly 508m. If you’re unfamiliar with the countryside around Peterborough you’ll likely be questioning my GPS’s accuracy. Or assuming that those 128km were easy. Wrong on both counts. If you’re a Fen dweller (or one of the 5000 who rode the event) you’ll know that the elevation makes sense – it’s flat around these parts. The highest point on the route? 250ft above sea level. The Fred Whitton it ain’t, but it was still a brilliant, and challenging first running for our newest ‘Tour’. The challenge comes in a couple of flavours. First, the flatness of the Cambridgeshire countryside…

AFTER A WEEK OF CENTRAL LONDON COMMUTING, NED WANTS CARS AND BIKES TO KEEP THEIR DISTANCE I’ ve always believed that segregation is an intellectual cul de sac, and not an answer. It’s never offered a solution as far as religion or race is concerned, so why would we wish for it on our roads? I’ve recently had plenty of time and urban miles to ponder this issue. I’ve just come off a block of commuting, involving eight consecutive days of riding my bike from my house in south east London to Ealing Studios, in Ealing (unsurprisingly). Keen readers with a background in publishing will realise that, given the lag between submitting articles and publication, the eight days in question coincided with the Critérium du Dauphiné. My daily commute was…

Are you after a bike that you can do 75 miles on in a weekend, hammer the hills with, race or simply explore the open road on? Whatever bike takes your fancy, what follows is our guide to deciding how you can get aboard, explaining what you need to buy, how you go about buying it and where to find the best possible deal… Healthy body The Cycle to Work initiative has encouraged employer-purchasing schemes combined with government tax breaks. This makes it possible to treat yourself to some serious equipment, worth up to £1000, and feel that you’re getting something back from the taxman at the same time – always a bonus. If your company isn’t in the Cycle to Work scheme or you’re self-employed, creative financing is well…

BEST ONLINE TRAINING TOOLS Strava Free Create a free account on strava.com and you can record the distance, route and speed of your rides on your mobile phone via the free Strava app or GPS. The information is then sent to your online account, where you can analyse it and see how you fare against others. Create a leaderboard with your cycling buddies, test your performance against anyone in your area, or work alone to improve your times and power output. www.strava.com Velozone Free This free online tool allows you to upload and comment on routes and photos, analyse your performance, get tailored training plans (for an additional fee) and compete with other riders via leaderboards. Event listings and competitions are on hand to provide you with extra motivation. Velozone…

I got my first road bike last autumn because I wanted a fun way to keep fit. My boyfriend cycles so I thought it was something we could do together. I never planned to do a big event but a friend who cycles asked if I wanted to take part in Velothon Wales with her to raise money for a charity she supports, so I thought I’d have a go. Gradually I started getting a bit fitter and building up the miles I could cover. Increasing my distance was okay, but I didn’t enjoy riding up hills. In the months before the event I noticed myself getting stronger but I still felt demoralized sometimes because it never felt like it was getting any easier. I kept positive because I did…

SPECIFICATION WEIGHT 7.5kg (58cm) FRAME Carbon FORK Carbon GEARS Shimano Ultegra, 50/34, 11-32 BRAKES Tektro Quartz WHEELS Easton EA70 FINISHING KIT Continental Gransport 25mm tyres, Fizik Antares saddle, Norco Compact Lite alu bar, Norco Lite stem, Norco Lite composite seatpost £1750 It handles The low-slung sloping frame design allows you to really move the bike around. It may be classed as an endurance bike but it retains a classic 72.5/73 degrees head and seat angle combination, a reasonable length reach and it’s only around 10mm taller than a race bike. Its longer wheelbase adds stability that counters the front end’s sharpness to create a bike that’s poised for long days, but nimble enough to allow you to cut through bends and descend at speed. The frame is top drawer Norco…

Cycling is a human story It’s the people who make it interesting. It appeals to eccentric, quirky individuals, science boffins who use GPS, athletes who shave their legs, and people who just love a wee cycle because it makes them feel better. In my first BBC series of Something to Ride Home About I cycled around Northern Ireland to meet them all. I realised this mode of transport touches the human soul. Riding a bike encourages innovation In the second series of the show, my miniquest was to meet people with great ideas and individuals who’ve invented or created stuff. I wanted to show the connection between cycling and creativity. Cycling is the most inclusive sport because it promotes alternative lifestyles In Northern Ireland there are lots of crossborder cycling…

SPECIFICATION Weight 9.16kg (54cm) Frame Mason Columbus Spirit/Life custom disc Fork Mason Aperture carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra 6800 50/34x11-28 Brakes Shimano 785 hydraulic disc, 140mm rotors Wheels Mason Hunt 4 Season disc Finishing kit Deda Zero2 and bar, Continental Grand Sport Extra 28mm tyres You still get the signature steel surge of speed like the turbo kicking in on a diesel car Mason is so young as a company that our Resolution sample still wasn’t quite a perfect production example, but it throws down a new challenge to the steel status quo. The obvious difference with the Resolution is the fact it’s disc brake specific. The rear callipers bolt into replaceable brass thread details inside the kinked dropouts and the hydraulic hoses vanish into downtube and fork leg to keep…

SPECIFICATION Weight 7.82kg (53cm) Frame Columbus Spirit Niobium Fork Enigma full carbon Gears Campagnolo Chorus, 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Campagnolo Chorus Skeleton Wheels Campagnolo Zonda Finishing kit Enigma 3D stem, Compact bar, Continental Grand Prix 4000S 23mm tyres There’s enough give in the frame to keep tyres glued better than you expect The optional £299 Union Jack painted front end of the Enigma makes a striking visual statement but the frame and fork it covers are what confirm the Elite HSS ST’s combative character The stocky head-tube gives room for a full-size tapered fork with hidden Columbus ceramic bearings. The fork base width means the head-tube can be kept low for an aggressive ride position rather than perching you up high for pottering. The carbon Enigma fork has been chosen to…

CAMELBAK PODIUM £8.99 Camelbak’s Podium has a proper shut-off valve that is great when you’re chucking bottles in the car. It comes apart for cleaning and on the bike it can be left open full-time. The nozzle offers generous flow and plastic taste is minimal. But in some cages, this is a rather tight fit in your bottle cage. SPECIALIZED PURIST HYDROFLO £12.99 The squishy-feeling Purist delivers one of the least plasticky tastes, a bonus if you tend to drink water rather than energy drinks. Its wide, rubbery nozzle is bordering on too big for some of us, but it delivers a huge flow rate, and seals effectively when you push it shut. ELITE JOSSANOVA £9.99 Elite’s offering has a narrow nozzle and flow rate is adequate rather than spectacular.…

HIGHS Stiffness, weight, looks LOWS Price, price, and price THE CHASSERAL IS a mountain in northwest Switzerland, so it’ll come as no surprise that the RC28 Spline C Mon Chasseral wheelset is aimed at those of a climbing bent. The wheels are carbon clinchers built using a version of DT’s RC28 rim with improved heat resistance and braking performance, and a variant of the company’s 180 star ratchet hubs with ceramic bearings. Laced with DT’s own spokes and aluminium nipples, the Mon Chasserals are a premium offering. The headline is their low weight: 699g for the rear (£1299.99) and 572g for the front (£949.99), including rim strips. They’re tubeless ready, with the included set of valves adding 15g. Their 22mm wide rims are broader than traditional ones, but relatively conservative…

HIGHS Go anywhere, carry anything ability, fun LOWS Weight, independent brake and gear levers OUT OF THE BOX WEIGHT 12.56kg (54cm) FRAME 100 Series Alpha Aluminium FORK Alloy Adventure GEARS SRAM X7 Type 2 rear mech, X5 front mech, TT500 bar end shifters, SRAM S1000 170mm cranks, 42/28 rings and 11-36 cassette BRAKES TRP Hylex hydraulic with 160mm rotors WHEELS Trek Duster Elite TLR Tubeless Ready 29in 15mm/12mm thru-axles FINISHING KIT Bontrager Elite Blendr 100mm aluminium stem, Bontrager Race VR-C aluminium bar, Bontrager gel cork tape, FSA headset, Bontrager 27.2mm SSR aluminium seatpost, Bontrager Evoke 1.5 saddle, Bontrager XR1 Comp 29x2in tyres, Bontrager BackRack Deluxe, tubular alloy front rack, Time ATAC XC6 pedals, Lezyne CNC cage AT THIS TIME of year, I’m often spoilt with some extraordinarily exotic and very…

HIGHS Super-stiff, supersecure, cheap LOWS Stiffness can cause numbness Weight 658g (size 44, no cleats) Sizes available 39-48 DHB has reset the bargain benchmark for performance shoes with the R2.0C’s low-profile carbon fibre sole. It’s properly ‘notice a real difference when you stamp on the pedals’ stiff, making it a great choice for racers on a budget. You even get a plastic heel cup and a ratchet strap for maximum security, even if the strap is slightly bulky and can create a hotspot if you overtighten it. The very flat footbed and sheer stiffness did lead to numbness and tingling for some testers with broader feet, but if the fit and stiffness agree with you, its minimal mesh design makes it usefully weatherproof for UK riding and the price is…

HIGHS Top-end comfort, mid-level price LOWS Reasonably stiff rather than super rigid Weight 562g (size 44, no cleats) Sizes available 36-47 Mavic’s nylon, fibreglass and carbon Energy Comp sole isn’t incredibly stiff, but the slight flexibility that makes it less deadly in a sprint makes it more comfortable on longer rides, particularly on rougher surfaces. The Atop dial and twin string and Velcro tab ‘Ergo strap’ fasteners combine with the stretchy tongue, broad forefoot and tall, well-shaped heel design to create an extremely snug-feeling and secure shoe without obvious pressure points. The mesh toe top offsets heat buildup, it’s light and well priced for the quality. And if you’re not a fan of dials, Mavic’s £100 Ksyrium Elite shoe has the same sole and upper with ratchets and straps. GIRO…

HIGHS Two locks for the price of one LOWS We’d like to see a tougher version Weight 1141g Internal dimensions 170x95mm main + 95x86mm rear wheel Bolt crop test 58 seconds Portable cutter test 1 minute 36 seconds Picked Passed Hammer Passed A U-Lock with an extra U on it is a simple idea (one which we’ve done before with two U-Locks) but it works quite well. Simply open the lock and slide the extra U off, stick it through the rear wheel, slide the main U through it, stick in your front wheel, and lock it all up. If you’re locking to larger diameter objects the space freed up by the rear wheel being on its own U shackle is a bonus. We’d love to see a New Yorklevel…

MILKY MILKY Milk, chocolate especially, will provide a great source of amino acids, protein and carbohydrates. Consuming just 500ml post training has been shown to boost recovery and reduce DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – that achiness you get after a hard session), improve glycogen re-synthesis and has been proven to be better in rehydration postexercise than water. CHERRY ON TOP Drinking at least 30ml of cherry juice twice a day for four days prior to training/race and four days after, including race day, has been proven to maintain muscle force and improve recovery. Most of all it has high levels of melatonin, which aid in sleep quality and improve your efficiency. PLANT THE SEED Omega-3 fats found in chia seeds/flax seeds are extremely beneficial in aiding in recovery and…

GOING DEEP Doing efforts for fitness is like riding in a lab using the turbo trainer. Many articles on interval training tell you to find a nice flat road with no traffic lights or stop signs, but just where exactly are these roads? On a turbo you don’t have to focus on anything else but hitting the numbers. It will also allow you to do a fitness test at home to track your progress. To do an FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test outside is virtually impossible. MAKING TIME Finding time to get the training hours in isn’t easy when you have a job and family to occupy you, so a couple of indoor rides after the kids have gone to bed is definitely an appealing option. I don’t go outside…

Any new sport or leisure activity can be daunting at first, and this includes cycling. So with the sun shining and more and more people taking up cycling, or returning to it after an absence, we thought it time to produce this guide for the newbie rider. Taking up cycling can be a life-changing experience, improving your health, saving you money and perhaps giving you a new sporting outlet. All of these reasons and more are covered in ‘14 reasons to ride’. Once you’ve caught the cycling bug, you’re going to want to know what bikes to buy, the kit you need, all about Strava and how to look after your bike. And when you’ve read and digested these you’re ready to tackle your first event……

Helmet Helmets can help protect you in the event of unfortunate accidents or collisions. Plus, you might find that if you wear one and follow sensible precautions on the road, you’ll feel more reassured about your safety on the bike. This means you can concentrate your efforts on developing your technique, handling skills and simply enjoying the ride. They are also required when riding most events. There’s a huge range of lids on the market, with styles, colours, materials and sizing varying dramatically. Wearing a helmet no longer means sweltering inside a heavy casing – light and well vented options are the norm these days. As with your bike, try different models out at your local bike shop before you buy. If a helmet’s going to be effective at all…

Macmillan Cycletta June-September 2015 This women-only series now has six events spread across the summer. They are as easy or difficult as you want to make them, with all events (apart from the 42km sportive at the Dragon Ride) having a 20km option. Several, including the New Forest event, go up to 150km. The next event takes place from Loseley Park, Surrey on 6 September. www.humanrace.co.uk Sky Ride All year round Sky’s investment in cycling draws the headlines through Team Sky, which means its valuable grassroots work often goes under the radar. Sky Ride’s events are held all year round, right across the country and include traffic-free events, guided rides from trained leaders and social rides from the Sky Ride network. Remaining rides for 2015 can be found in cities…

FIRST RIDES This month’s been about the new Cannondale SuperSix Evo, securing the world exclusive test. The original was a masterpiece, see if Cannondale’s made its best better on p18. Warren Rossiter, senior technical editor ROAD TESTS & NEW KIT It’s been a busy month for me testing six steel rides in Yorkshire, and trying out the latest aero offerings around Majorca. Finding the right footwear was key for my big test, from p118. Guy Kesteven, technical writer FIRST RIDES & NEW KIT I finally got to try out the much-lauded Trek Émonda this month, along with some rather special carbon climbing wheels from DT Swiss that cost more than my car. Matthew Allen, technical writer RATINGS EXPLAINED EXCEPTIONAL A genuine class leader VERY GOOD One of the best you…

OUT WITH THE OLD... Sir Bradley Wiggins might have hung up his road wheels but the future of British cycling looks in capable hands with the young Yates twins, as Simon’s top five in a strong Dauphiné field showed. HOT SHOTS Madison-Genesis overhauled One Pro Cycling in Bath to win the 2015 Pearl Izumi Tour Series. One took some consolation, as Marcin Bialoblocki won the round. RAISE A GLASS Santini’s Bergamo factory powered down in June to celebrate its 50th birthday. Italian cycling legend and close friend of founder Pietro Santini, Felice Gimondi, was one of the famous faces present. CAST OUT Lance Armstrong took flak for signing up to Geoff Thomas’s Tour charity ride, which he believes is over the top: “I’m that character in Harry Potter they can’t…

Sarto was formed back in 1950 by Enrico Sarto in Italy, and is now under the guidance of his son Antonio. In the past the company’s built custom steel and high-end carbon bikes for some of the world’s most reputable brands, but since 2010 it’s produced its own exclusive models. This latest custom-carbon creation is one of just 25. There’s good reason for the limited numbers when you look into the finer details (and the price). Each frame is individually sized and the carbon layup tuned to meet the rider’s needs. It also features applied logos and details crafted from solid 18 carat (18k) gold, including a special medallion bonded to the top-tube bearing the owner’s initials. The highly limited frame is POA and a complete bike like this Campagnolo…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.84kg (54cm) Frame KVA MS3 stainless steel Fork ADK full carbon Gears FSA Energy MegaExo 52/36t, Shimano Ultegra 6870 Di2 11-28t Brakes Shimano Ultegra Wheels Fulcrum Racing LG CX Finishing kit Genesis 110mm stem, Compact bar, Continental Grand Sport Race 25mm tyres The semi-raw finish reveals a few spots of functional rather than flawless welding Genesis is another relatively young brand but while it might not have the same depth of laurels to rest on as Condor, Colnago and Pegoretti its stainless Volare frame has picked up an impressive trophy haul in the last three years. The bike you’re looking at isn’t exactly the same as the £1999.99 Reynolds 953-tubed Volare frame evolved and still regularly raced by the Madison Genesis pro team. The American-developed KVA stainless tubeset…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.45kg (56cm) Frame Custom DT15V steel Fork Colnago Precisa, 1in steerer Gears Campagnolo Chorus, 52/36, 11-25t Brakes Campagnolo Chorus Wheels Vision TriMax 30 Finishing kit FSA Gossamer stem and bar, Colnago post, Continental Grand Prix 4000S II 25mm tyres Unboxing revealed a beautifully judged build kit from importer Windwave I was more excited to try this bike than any I can remember in a long time. I caught my first glimpse of this aspirational icon when I opened my first copy of the 1986 Bicycle Buyer’s Guide. It was the most expensive bike in there and justified that cost easily with its opulence. My giddy expectation didn’t ease when unboxing revealed a beautifully judged build kit from importer Windwave, which teamed Campagnolo’s latest Chorus 22-speed stop/go equipment with…

HIGHS Sturdy, secure, reasonably easy to use LOWS Some patience required, heavy to lift BRITISH BRAND WITTER’S stock-in-trade is making and fitting towbars, so it’s no surprise it’s built a name as a maker of towbarmounted cycle carriers. Its new ZX500 range is its most advanced, and premium, yet with a choice of three platforms – carrying two, three or four bikes. You’ll need a towball, and if you don’t have one this will cost between £250-500 to buy and fit, including the electrics (we got ours from bristoltowbars.com), which can make this kind of carrier seem costly. That said, towball-mounted carriers have advantages over hatch and roofmounted racks – carrying bikes behind your car is better for your fuel economy, putting bikes on the rear is easier than onto…

HIGHS Light, affordable LOWS A nightmare to set up, awkward to use, very vulnerable to inaccuracy THE POWER METER market has exploded in the last two years and is still gathering pace. Clamouring for attention among all the startups is the iBike Newton, a device first launched in 2004 and relaunched last year. It’s unique in the way it comes up with a power figure – see the box on the right for an explanation of how it works. The Newton weighs 82g and the sensors 22g. Prices start at £599 without the heart-rate strap and Powerstroke functions included in this version. The Powerstroke function uses the accelerometers and cadence sensor to assess the smoothness of your pedalling. It’s a genuinely useful feature that you can use to improve your…

SCOTT’S RC PROTEC range looks just like any other performance Lycra – but it has one significant difference. Take a closer look at the jersey’s shoulder and the hip section of the shorts and you’ll notice a hexagonal pattern. This is ITD ProTec, a fabric that blends in strands of carbon fibre and is printed with a series of hard ceramic hexagons. The carbon adds strength and antibacterial qualities, while the ceramic surfacing is claimed to be highly resistant to abrasion, offering more protection than Lycra or polyester should you find yourself sliding along the tarmac. Both the shorts, which have an excellent chamois, and the feature-packed jersey are very well constructed, and neither is compromised by the crash-resistant fabric, so we’ve no problem in classing this combo as one…

HIGHS Those brakes, still LOWS A few shifting problems OUT OF THE BOX WEIGHT 8.75kg (53cm) FRAME Avant OMP carbon FORK Avant OMP carbon GEARS Shimano 105, FSA Gossamer 34/50 chainset BRAKES Shimano R785 hydraulic disc WHEELS Vision Team 30 Disc FINISHING KIT FSA Gossamer alloy bar and stem, FSA SL-K carbon seatpost, Prologo Kappa Evo saddle I’VE DONE JUST over 800 miles on the Avant since my last long-term report (issue 301), but at the moment it feels like we’re strangers. The bike has spent a couple of weeks in our workshop waiting for a rear gear cable replacement so we’ve only just been reacquainted. After 2000 miles and continual use throughout the winter, I had also worn the front brake pads down to the metal. To replace the…

1. INTENTION Even before you step into the saddle, your workout has begun. Your mental intention, as well as the awareness and focus that you bring to your ride, will dictate the effort you put in. Mentally determine to give 100 per cent. 2. BREATHING Seen those red-faced people in the gym holding their breath as they push up a hill, or suffer through a spinning class? It might look as if they’re working hard, but it’s counterproductive. Your muscles need oxygen, deprive them, and you’ll get tired more quickly and feel nauseous. Focus on breathing steadily, and breathe out with each effort. 3. TIMING Rhythm is vital. Every exercise has its own inherent tempo to recognise. Tune into the movement of your body to find the rhythm of ride…

HIGHS Stiff sole, super-secure fit LOWS Narrowness can cause numbness Weight 514g (size 44, no cleats) Sizes available 40-46 Decathlon’s own-brand BTwin shoe range starts at £29.99 but the 700 is a pro race-winning shoe (Ag2r’s Jean-Christophe Péraud has a custom coloured pair) with a stiff full-carbon fibre sole and two Atop fastening dials. Fit is distinctly long and narrow and the flat forefoot over the cleat area can cause numbness if you’re too keen with the dial tightening at first. There are no really small sizes either. But the mix of a plasticky exoskeleton mid-section upper and thickly padded heel area provides great security for narrower feet and these are very light on the scales as well as your wallet. BONT RIOT £90 Weight 594g (size 44, no cleats)…

HIGHS Very light, secure, supportive, fast LOWS Overtightening can crush feet fast Weight 498g (size 44, no cleats) Sizes available 40-48 Bontrager rushed us its new Velocis shoe just before the end of the test deadline and if you’re into super-light, super-tight race shoes you’ll be very glad it did. The Silver Series carbon/fibreglass composite sole is stiff enough for solid power transfer but still shallow enough for a well-connected feel, particularly in corners. It’s also the only shoe here under 500g a pair. The easy-clean microfibre upper and plastic heel cup give a very snug and secure overall fit without crushing wider feet across the forefoot. Be cautious cranking up the single Boa dial, though, as it treads a very fine line between assured anchorage and pins-andneedles numbness. GAERNE…

HIGHS Can fit around large objects LOWS Pivots will always be a weak point Weight 1607g Internal dimensions Variable Bolt crop test 18 seconds Portable cutter test 22 seconds Picked Passed Hammer Passed Articulated link locks like the Germanmade Bordo are useful as they offer the shape changing and fill-ability properties of a chain while having a structure that folds into a neat ‘box’ shape. You can fill the lock with the frame, front and rear wheel, and still have room for a lamppost. The weak spot is always going to be the links though, and bolt croppers quickly popped this one open. But, if you combine the Abus with a small U-Lock, its size and versatility quickly begin to show their benefits. ONGUARD 8002 £42.99 Weight 1583g Internal dimensions…

HIGHS Super-tough and highly portable LOWS Wearable chains aren’t for everybody Weight 2570g Length 850mm Bolt crop test Passed Portable cutter test 2 mins 30 seconds Picked Passed Hammer Passed Wearing a big-link hardened steel chain around your pelvis when riding a bike is something that you have to make your own mind up about, but the chain will accommodate waists from 24in up to 44in. We’re not getting into health and safety issues concerning that, but testing the security of it when used as a lock. And boy does it do well. It was only bettered in the test by the excellent Abus Granit Power, it weighs just a little over 2.5kg, and is a very usable length. Three keys are supplied, which are coded and can be replaced…

SET YOUR GOALS 1 On 7 May 2015, Charlie Mitchell and Dominic Irvine set a new tandem record from Land’s End to John O’Groats, covering the 842.6 miles in 45 hours, 11 minutes and 2 seconds, beating the previous record by over five hours. The traditional route to breaking long distance ‘place-toplace’ records (see the full list at www.rra.org.uk) is racing progressively longer time trials. Dominic had a background of mediocre performances in triathlons and ultra-distance cycling. Charlie was faster but hadn’t raced further than 50 miles. BECOME A TEAM PLAYER 2 The challenge for Dominic was going faster, the challenge for Charlie was getting fitter. The challenge for both was becoming a team on the bike. Training was divided into sessions on the turbo, intervals on the tandem and…

WHAT IS IT? Osteoporosis refers to a loss of bone density. Bone is a living tissue, with cells that continually form, mould and reabsorb bone. Over the age of 35, the rate of reabsorption starts to exceed the rate of formation and bones gradually get weaker. A milder bone loss is known as osteopenia. Both conditions are usually asymptomatic, but can increase the risk of fractures. OSTEOPOROSIS AND CYCLING Chris Boardman gave up professional cycling after being diagnosed with osteoporosis in his 30s. A number of studies have shown that osteoporosis and osteopenia may be associated with cycling. Most of these studies have looked at elite level cyclists, a group who mostly train on their bikes and rarely take part in weight-bearing exercise. Runners tend to have higher bone densities…

Not so very long ago road bikes were the distinctly uncool cousin of the mountain bike. The general consensus was that the handlebars were bent out of shape, the tyres were precariously thin and the people in charge of them looked like nerdy stick insects from another planet. And we haven’t even mentioned the Lycra… But that was then and this is now. The road bike scene is booming and it’s full of just as many beginners as veterans. There are sportives almost all-year round up and down the UK catering for all abilities and even women-only events in the shape of the Macmillan Cycletta series. Additionally, road cycling clubs – once the preserve of hardcore racers – are increasingly reacting to the surge in participation in the sport and…