Innehållsförteckning för May 2019 från Cycling Plus

Take one magazine editor who really hasn’t done enough riding this winter, sprinkle in some short, sharp hills and add a photographer with a long lens and you’ll end up with a candid shot of a man dry heaving over his handlebars… But while I may look a little distressed in this image I was actually having a great time as we tested and shot for Bike of the Year in the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales. Sure, I’m well out of shape but spending a couple of days riding some brilliant bikes in the British countryside was a great reminder of why I love cycling. So, read our huge Bike of the Year test, pick your next bike and then go and have fun! SUBSCRIBE! New subscribers to Cycling Plus can…

TAKING OUT THE TRASH New UCI rules will now fine pro riders who throw away bottles or rubbish outside designated waste zones up to 1000 Swiss Francs. “Leaving trash on the road is no longer acceptable in this day and age,” said UCI Jury Commissioner Philippe Marien. VIRTUAL LEADER Qualifying for the British Cycling eRacing Champs was won by Steve Young (Team Canyon ZCC) and Illi Gardner (KISS RT). The top 10 from each race will compete in the live finals in London in late March. POLITICAL GAMES Kristina Vogel, the German track star who was left paralysed last year after a crash, is entering politics in her home city of Erfurt, as a candidate for Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat Party. SWIFT RECOVERY Team Sky’s Ben Swift ended up in…

Getting out and riding my bike as often as I can is a relief both physically and mentally I was suffering from backache after competing in the Ironman Wales event in 2016 but I put it down to the effects of the training. Eventually, I had some MRI scans and that’s when the doctors discovered lesions on my bones. Follow-up blood tests revealed I had myeloma, a cancer that develops from cells in the bone marrow. That was in March 2017. I was given seven years to live. The day I got the diagnosis, a fog descended in my head and I didn’t know what it meant; it was brutal – I almost started laughing. The next 48 hours were the worst of my life, telling my wife Jenny and…

Specialized’s Allez underwent a major redesign for 2018. The curved top tube was replaced with a straight one, the seatstays were dramatically dropped, geometry was relaxed marginally, the cabling is now internal, tyre diameter increased and the bottom gear lowered. It also shed around 450g in weight, to dip in under 9kg. It’s now more versatile too. There are new rear rack mounts and neat mudguard fittings, as well as clearance for full-length fenders. The result is a more practical allround machine rather than a wannabe race bike, making it suitable for a wider range of riders, in particular older cyclists who may have lost a little of their flexibility. For 2019, Specialized’s Allez Elite gained a fantastic brand-spanking-new ‘gloss light blue and rocket red’ paint job, though the price…

Ganyon launched the carbonfibre Grail early in 2018, an unusual-looking bike that divided opinion thanks to its double-decker handlebar. Whatever your views on that cockpit, though – which hasn’t made it through to this model – it was an impressive machine. As mentioned in the main review, the hydroformed, double-butted 6061 aluminium frame tubes are intricately shaped, including the lowered seat stays. The Grail comes with 40mm tyres, and there’s room for more width if desired. There’s a third bottle cage mount beneath the down tube, and mounts for full mudguards and a rear rack as well. All of the cable or hose entry ports at the top of the down tube are superbly well sealed, and exit before the bottom bracket shell. Well equipped with a complete Shimano 105…

After a close-fought battle, in 2018, the Domane SL6 Disc was named Women’s Road Bike of the Year. This year, with the competition just as tight, it’s done it again. Branded as the women’s Domane, it actually has the same unisex frame as others in the range, but with sexand size-specific finishing kit, such as the Bontrager Ajna Comp saddle and adapted stem lengths and handlebar widths. IsoSpeed is one of the most impressive features on the Domane: a decoupling system achieved through frame design and shock-absorbing elastomer pads, it allows both the seat tube and the headset area of the fork to have some free movement. This means they flex to absorb road chatter, and are isolated from many of the same forces coming through the frame, which means…

Giant’s Defy is the brand’s best-selling road bike, which means it gets a lot of attention and is often used as a testing ground for the firm’s latest tech. Giant claims that its new Contact SLR D-Fuse handlebar working in conjunction with its vibration-crushing D-Fuse seatpost provides more than enough compliant comfort without having to resort to complex pivots, inserts or suspension. In addition, the reshaped frame and new fork profile allows for bigger tyres. Perhaps the most surprising addition is a new Giant power meter. Developed in-house and engineered with multiple sensors, the Power Pro can display multiple metrics: watts, pedal balance, force angle and cadence. If you’re not looking to race, but still want to get round that sportive, fondo, charity ride, or club run as quickly as…

Specialized’s approach to the SL6 design process was somewhat conflicted: it wanted a lighter bike, that was stiffer and more comfortable, but it didn’t want to change the handling or ride position. So, the chassis retains parallel steep 73.5° angles and a low stack (591mm on our 58cm test bike), keeps the long reach (402mm), and the wheelbase creeps up to just 2mm over a metre. Instead of the topof-the-line 12r carbon you’ll find on the S-Works and Sagan edition bikes, the Comp has a 9r carbon frame and a 10r carbon fork, which adds 100g or so to the frame, and a smattering to the fork. Component wise Specialized has compiled a decent mix. It’s good to see a complete Shimano Ultegra groupset (including Ultegra cassette and Ice-Tech rotors)…

Even the day after a hard race, with tired legs, the new Kinesis RTD feels fast. This perhaps isn’t so surprising once you realise that RTD stands for ‘race the distance’, and the bike’s inspired by the ethos of long-distance riding. At £850, the frameset isn’t that cheap, but scandium is a rare beast. When alloyed with aluminium, it’s around twice as strong as the 6061 or 7005 grades of aluminium, more corrosion resistant and around 10-15 per cent lighter. A 51cm RTD frame is claimed to weigh 1400g and our 57cm model weighed in at a little over 9kg. The classy Ritchey WCS finishing kit sets the tone for a bike with epic ride pretensions, and they’re ably backed up by Shimano’s sublime Ultegra disc groupset. Its excellent hydraulic…

WE SAY The Allroad wheelset is made to go big, and get you home £629 › Small Road THE PROLIFERATION OF ALL ROAD, gravel or adventure bikes, call them what you will, has created a need for suitable wheels. Mavic was early to the game with 2015’s 700c Ksyrium Allroad wheelset, a beefed-up road wheel designed for larger tyre volumes and rough terrain. Many others have followed suit, but there’s still a limited choice. Mavic has expanded its Allroad wheel lineup with the Allroad Elite Road+ Disc 650B, which isn’t the most succinct title. If you’re expecting a downsized 700c Allroad then you may be pleasantly surprised to know that this model’s rim is tailored exactly to its intended purpose. Made from Maxtal alloy, the smoothly contoured rims are shaped…

+ Spring is the magical gateway to summer riding with warmer temperatures, blue skies and bright sunshine – well, that’s the hope anyway. But spring in the UK can bring all four seasons in one day, which means getting kitted up for riding takes a little more thought. Many brands now offer spring-specific bib shorts made from cosy fabrics that can be paired with knee warmers for added versatility. Another option is ¾-length bib knickers that offer heat and comfort with over-the-knee coverage. For your upper half, there’s a range of choices from a short-sleeve jersey with arm warmers on sunnier days through to long-sleeve jerseys with jacket-like features for when the mercury fails to rise."The jersey and arm warmer combo covers a variety of milder conditions and allows you…

I read a recipe for risotto the other day, which said you needed to stir it anti-clockwise. I’ve never heard such a load of bollocks in all my life.” A Michelin-starred, sweary fitness fanatic chef from Scotland (no, not that one), Alan Murchison is keen to plug what he sees as a gap in the ever-booming cooking and nutrition book market. The Cycling Chef is a book for cyclists that not only fuels them, but is enjoyable and fits around their time-poor lifestyles. His aim is tasty, nutritious, simplified food. “This risotto recipe was making things unnecessarily complicated. You’re cooking rice with stock, that’s it. I want to get rid of all the nonsense, because it doesn’t matter.” “This risotto recipe was making things unnecessarily complicated. You’re cooking rice with…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast The Old Firestation In the heart of Tomintoul, sample fresh bread baked on site, scones and cakes. 37 Main Street, Tomintoul, Ballindalloch, AB37 9EX Cake stop Bridge of Brown Tearoom The welcome Bridge of Brown Tearoom is grandly situated in a valley outside Tomintoul. Tomintoul, Bridge of Brown, Ballindalloch, AB37 9HR Spare tubes Bikes & Bowls Based just 30 minutes from Keith, you will find a wealth of advice and kit from this family-run shop. 7 High Street, Elgin, IV30 1EQ Quick pint Craigellachie Hotel Or a wee dram? The hotel boasts no fewer than 800 single malts in its Quaich Bar, claiming the world’s biggest selection. Victoria Street, Craigellachie, AB38 9SR Family time Keith & Dufftown Railway Enjoy the heritage railway with three daily services…

Local Knowledge Breakfast Lucky Star The cafe looks a little bit Wild West but the food is fresh and top quality. Giddy up now and don’t spare the bikes. Market Place, Ramsey, IM8 1JU Cake stop Peel Breakwater Kiosk This is an ideal stop-off on your tour of the island. The food’s all freshly cooked and you can sit and watch the world go by while you eat. The Pier, West Quay, Peel Spare tubes Outdoors Ramsey There are no dedicated cycle shops, but Outdoors Ramsey covers all the bike basics and any other activities you might wish to try. Albert Road, Christian Street, Ramsey, IM8 2EL Quick pint Trafalgar Hotel The island has its own brewing purity laws (like the Bavarians). Try the beers from Okell’s or Bushy’s at…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Tomlinson’s Cafe Super-friendly cyclist hangout, with good food and beer. It also offers bunkhouse bed & breakfast accommodation. Open seven days a week. 15 Bridge Street, Rothbury, NE65 7SF Spare tubes The Bike Shop Offers repairs, bike hire, including e-bikes, and even a call-out mechanic (07599 350000). Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Greenfield Business Park, Alnwick, NE66 2DE Quick pint The Lindisfarne Inn A bike-friendly pub near Holy Island causeway offering good food, real ale, biking info, and rooms. Open seven days a week. Beal, Berwickupon-Tweed, TD15 2PD With a group YHA Alnwick This excellent hostel is based right in the town centre and has a secure bike shed for cyclists. It also offers private rooms and exclusive use for groups. 34-38 Green Batt, Alnwick, NE66…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast The Green Jersey Grab a snack and pick up spares for your bike at Clitheroe’s friendly bike shop and cafe. Old Shawbridge Sawmill, Taylor Street, Clitheroe, BB7 1LY Cake stop The Country Kitchen cafe Run by Tim for 25 years, this local cyclists’ haunt has quality food and free locks to secure your bikes. Assembly Rooms, Clitheroe Road, Waddington, BB7 3HP Centre ground? Dunsop Bridge One for the trivia fans: this pleasant little village in the Ribble Valley is the nearest to Britain’s geographical centre, at Brennand Farm four miles north. Dunsop Bridge, BB7 3BB Quick pint Swan With Two Necks Beer o’clock? Head to the picturesque village of Pendleton to this time-warp gem, CAMRA’s 2014 pub of the year. Pendleton, Clitheroe, BB7 1PT Family time…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Kerri’s Farmhouse Pine A cyclists’ favourite in the old station on Marriott’s Way. You can also hire bikes and get basic spares, Tuesday to Saturday. The Old Railway Station, Station Road, Reepham NR10 4LJ Spare tubes Pedal Revolution A friendly, well-stocked independent bike shop, right in the centre. Workshop offers repairs, parts, maps, advice and more. Open seven days a week. 63–67 Bethel Street, Norwich, NR2 1NR Quick pint The Ship Inn Big, superb beer garden right on the cliff top with great sea views. Take your pick of real ale and good local food. Open seven days a week. 21 Beach Road, Mundesley, NR11 8BQ Enjoy the view St Helen’s Church Climb the 89 steps and two ladders in the village church’s tower for the…

Local Knowledge Cake stop The Independent Pedaler A classy bike cafe offering super food, library, tools, track pump and Pantani shrine. Open 7/7. A good base by car for Route One & Two. Highland Court Farm, Bridge, CT4 5HW Spare tubes Canterbury Cycle Centre A friendly, helpful little independent shop right in the city centre. Workshop, repairs, parts, advice and more. Open seven days a week. 22-24 Stour Street, Canterbury, CT1 2NZ Take a selfie Ham Sandwich sign Found on Route Two near Ham, grab a photo next to the road sign saying Ham Sandwich for guaranteed Facebook likes! Finglesham, CT14 0NH Quick pint Botany Bay Found on Route Three this pleasant, familyfriendly pub has real ales, cakes, coffee, food, clifftop views and bike racks. Marine Drive, Kingsgate, Broadstairs, CT10…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast Route 2 Cafe Named after the NCN Route 2, you’ll pass this cafe on your way out of Exeter. It opens nice and early and breakfast is served all day. 1 Monmouth Hill, Topsham, EX3 0JQ Cake stop The Teapot Cafe A detour onto the A35 going into Axminster brings you to this farm shop for cakes, coffee and topclass bacon baps. Miller’s Farm Shop, Gammons Hill, Kilmington, Axminster, EX13 7RA Spare tubes Route 2 Bike Shop Does the name sound familiar? Yes, it’s right next door to the Route 2 Cafe (see left). Bike hire and servicing available, even on a Sunday (summer only). 4 Amity Place, Topsham, EX3 0JE Quick pint The Old Firehouse Much loved for its colossal pizzas and plentiful cider and…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast The Lunch Box Cafe Known for its breakfasts and baguettes, the Lunch Box is handy for the ferry pier at East Cowes and the ideal place to start your day. 1 Clarence Road, East Cowes, PO32 6EP Cake stop Isle of Wight Pearl Cafe Serves good traditional cream teas that should power you up after the hardest part of the route. There’s a tea garden, too. Military Road, Brighstone, PO30 4DD Spare tubes Wight Cycle Hire Wight Cycle Hire in Yarmouth has an impressive fleet of hire bikes and its general all-round splendidness helps keep cyclists on the road. Yarmouth Station, Station Road, PO41 0QT Quick pint The Travellers Joy Those in the know recommend this old hostelry, at Northwood. It stocks a selection of real…

This September the eyes of the cycling world will again be on Yorkshire as it hosts the World Championships. Following on from hosting the Tour de France in 2014 and subsequent Tour de Yorkshires, it’s another opportunity for ‘God’s Own County’ to showcase its brilliant riding roads. In February, it also hosted the final showdown for our Bike of the Year test and proved to be the perfect venue to vote!…

Bianchi Oltre XR4 disc 51 BMC Roadmachine 02 Three 58 BMC Roadmachine X 38 BMC Timemachine Road TMR01 63 Boardman SLR 8.9 Carbon 35 Cannondale Synapse Carbon SE 59 Cannondale SystemSix Hi-Mod DADi2 50 Canyon Endurace AL 7.0 35 Canyon Grail AL 7.0 38 Canyon Ultimate CF SL Disc 8.0 Aero 53 Canyon Ultimate CF Evo 10.0 LTD 60 Factor Vista Chapter 3 67 Focus Izalco Max Disc 8.7 51 Focus Paralane 8.9 GC 67 Fuji SL 2.3 Disc 53 Fuji Supreme 2.3 46 Giant Defy Advanced Pro 0 61 Giant Revolt Advanced 0 38 Giant TCR Advanced Pro 1 Disc 54 Isaac Boson Disc 57 Kinesis RTD 66 Merida Scultura Disc Team-E 65 Orro Gold STC Disc 52 Pinarello Dogma F10 Disc 65 Pinarello Gan 105 55 Ribble Endurance…

How much bike can you get for £729? An unbelievable amount. If you want Shimano 105, very decent brakes and don’t want to stress your credit card, Triban’s 520 should be your first port of call. Shimano’s 7000 series 105 is accompanied by TRP’s excellent HY/RD hydro-mechanical brakes, unheard of at this price. These pair mechanical shifters with hydraulic callipers for very effective, well-modulated all-weather braking. The geometry is very much at the endurance/touring/commuting end of the spectrum, with a tall head tube and shortish top tube. It’s an upright riding position, which lacks the dynamism of the new Specialized Allez, and it’s also carrying a little weight. But those are minor quibbles on a practical day-to-day bike you can kit out for bigger riding adventures. It descends surefootedly, the…

The name Rose lends itself to poor puns and woeful wordplay, and this blooming beautiful red Rose is free of thorny issues and comes up smelling of… etc. The 2019 Pro SL is actually much the same as last year’s, bar a change of logo, a striking new colour scheme, different tyres and the move to 7000 series Shimano 105 in its entirety. Is that a problem? No. Especially as one of the things that’s unchanged – as we go to press – is that it’s yours for a tad less than a grand. The Rose’s beating heart is a superchunky aluminium frame, with a massive square down tube that ovalises and flares out to over 70mm wide. The result is fantastic power transfer and instant acceleration. There’s an equally…

In 2018, Fuji released its new, updated women-specific Supreme, with a highly engineered carbon frame that Fuji claims makes the 2.3 its fastest bike ever. It was developed for female riders using a range of data sources, and Fuji’s long association with pro cyclists – including the World Tour-winning women’s pro team TIBCO-SVB. Aero gains are the name of the game, and Fuji has used a Kamm aerofoil profile on most of the tubing and forks, claiming a 79-second time saving over its Transonic on a 40km test. The bike’s geometry – a fairly mid-range 381mm reach, but a low 538mm stack – places the rider in a very aggressive position. Unsurprisingly, given the nature of this bike, the gearing is designed for speed. The Shimano Ultegra groupset comes with…

Cannondale claims its SystemSix is the fastest bike in the world. Now that’s a hard statement to prove or disprove but in a recent independent test it did have the lowest drag figures in the wind tunnel. The NACA tube profiles are in a Kammtail design and this, according to Cannondale, is where most of the aero gains are made. The shape of the top tube seat tube junction and the seatpost itself were all designed with a rider in situ, so the aero shaping takes into account the rider’s legs moving. The rear stays are low slung from the seat tube and, along with the chainstays, look minimal compared to the deep oversized front end. This lack of mass (and some clever carbon composition) gives the back end enough…

While it may have been supplanted at the top of the Orro tree by the aerooptimised Venturi, the Gold still has plenty going for it. The curvy frame may look a little oldschool – Orro has redesigned the classic, rim-brake roadman’s bike to accommodate disc brakes but its other revisions are in construction rather than style. The STC refers to Spread-Tow-Carbon made up a series of very thin, flat unidirectional ‘tapes’ interwoven to build up the layers, which gives the raw (glosslacquered) carbon finish its unique checkerboard-like pattern. The frame weighs 985g – decent for a disc frame – and the ride position is similar to the rim-brake model that impressed us back in 2017. The geometry is pretty sporty, with a 596mm stack and 391mm reach combined with a…

Ribble’s new chassis design has been more than two years in the making, and it’s the first step towards revitalising the brand as a cost-conscious premium provider of bikes built for British riders and British conditions. The frame is constructed with T800 and T1000 Toray carbon fibres, the same brand used by Pinarello, and the new design shares elements of the Italian firm’s bikes. The SL is well equipped for the price, but that didn’t stop us upgrading the wheels via Ribble’s online bike builder. So, we ended up with a bike at £2709 that included the full swathe of Shimano’s excellent Ultegra hydraulic disc group, along with Mavic’s superb new low-weight Kysrium Elite (1670g), which, when combined with Mavic’s latest 28c tubeless Yksion Pro tyres, makes for a ride…

BMC’s Roadmachine is the spiritual successor to its original Gran Fondo GF01, which we crowned Bike of the Year back in 2015. The updated Roadmachine uses BMC’s design language to great effect – angular tube shapes, plenty of aero touches – and adopts the trend for slightly taller stacks on endurance bikes. BMC claims a weight of around 930g for the 02 frame, which gives a great basis for a light endurance bike, and our 8.86kg test bike is lighter than most of its bigtyre road bike rivals. Up front, it’s BMC’s signature stepped shape. The deep and solid fork crown angles down to slender, skinny fork legs. The diamond-like shape resists any twist yet allows movement fore and aft when it strikes any bumps or holes in the road.…

Pinarello’s Dogma has been Team Sky’s constant companion, from the 60.1. The F10’s frame is based on the F8, but the firm claims the blunted Kammtail on the down tube delivers a 12.6 per cent aero gain over that on the F8, contributing to a three to four per cent gain overall. This F10 has all the classic Dogma traits: the steep angles mean a feathery-light front end, which, unlike many of the latest generation of aero-optimised road bikes, is superbly swift to respond. Yes, you have to keep your wits about you when riding quickly, but it inspires masses of confidence knowing that you’ll get a lightning fast response after corrections. Overall, this is a fine machine. The razor-sharp handling makes it an almost obscene amount of fun to…

THE CONTENDERS RONDO HVRT CF0 £5871RIBBLE ENDURANCE SL DISC £2709FOCUS IZALCO MAX 8.7 £2649CANYON ULTIMATE CF SL DISC 8.0 AERO £3249GIANT TCR ADVANCED PRO 1 DISC £2999GIANT DEFY ADVANCED PRO 0 £4599 RONDO HVRT CF0 SPECIFICATIONS WEIGHT 7.9kg (XL/59cm – 700c) FRAME EPS carbon superlight FORK Twintip carbonGEARS Shimano Dura-Ace (52/36, 11-28)WHEELS Hunt x RondoBRAKES Shimano Dura-Ace hydraulic discFINISHING KIT Easton EC70 aero carbon bar, Rondo stem and aero carbon seatpost, Panaracer Race C Evo 25mm 700c tyres Perhaps it’s the surprisingly benign February sunshine, maybe it’s the energy provided by the breakfast cooked for him by Stuey at the Dales Bike Centre, or it could be that he drank more pints of Semer Water in the pub last night than we thought, but tech editor Warren is in a…

BEST ON TEST PRO SPORT COMFORT £17.99 Pro’s is the thickest tape here at 3.5mm, thanks to its extra layer of gel padding. The wide, non-sticky silicone adhesive strip actually sticks to the bar effectively and is very easy to remove without residue. The non-patterned design delivered excellent grip. A veritable bargain if you like a little more road-buzz-smoothing plushness from your handlebar tape. JOYSTICK ANALOG £31.99 Team Dimension Data’s bar tape of choice offers a mid-range 2.8mm of padding and a textured, patterned and slightly tacky surface that proved impressively grippy. The Joystick Analog tape stayed cleaner longer than Bontrager’s, proved easy to clean and is secured by an expanding wedge, creating very tidy bar ends. SELLE SAN MARCO PRESA CORSA DYNAMIC £17.99 Well-priced, high-quality padded gel tape that…

Top tip Unless it’s a short effort or to rest, seated climbing is the way to go Climbing boils down to a simple ratio of power to weight – producing as much power (watts) as possible with the lowest body weight (kg). The higher your watts/kg, the faster you’ll rise up a mountain; clearly, the best things you can do to achieve this are train hard and, specifically, keep your body fat percentage as low as possible. We talk about how to ‘climb like a pro’ a lot at Cycling Plus, yet in reality few of us are ready to eschew the finer things in life, or are capable of absorbing the volume of training like the Chris Froomes of this world. And nor should you! Luckily, there are plenty…

NIGEL MITCHELL HEAD OF NUTRITION, EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC PRO TEAM “When you first start out cycling you’ll hear tales of superfit endurance cyclists whose metabolisms are such that they can ride all day having only had a suck on a teabag for sustenance. The reality for newbie riders is that you’re going to need a decent amount of energy – especially if you’re joining a group with more experience than you. The novice is more likely to ride into the wind, to accelerate irregularly, to ride less efficiently. All of which means they need more energy. You can’t go wrong by having a pre-ride breakfast of slow-release energy in the form of porridge, with some fruit. When you’re out on the bike you should be taking on around 40g of…

MYTHS BUSTED YOU CAN’T ENJOY ALCOHOL WHILE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT Alcohol contains calories, so many dieters recommend cutting it out completely. But people react differently to the same foods. For some, the odd glass of wine won’t have a big effect, but for others it might.* NOW 12st (size 12) THEN 19st (size 22 HOW WAS LIFE BEFORE CYCLING? “My weight had yo-yo’d after having children but my major weight gain started after I broke my ankle. Cycling seemed the perfect way to start my weight-loss journey.” WHAT BIKE DID YOU START WITH AND WHY? “I bought a green Pashley Parabike because I loved its classic vintage lines and the history behind the design. It was the perfect bike to start out on as I was heavy and it…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast Flossie’s Beach Store Grab a coffee and a bacon butty from this tiny takeaway cafe with a small garden and awesome views near Clachtoll Beach. Clachtoll, Lochinver, IV27 4JD Cake stop Elphin Tearooms With the biggest climbs behind you, Elphin Tearooms is a welcome sight. Scones, sponge, sustaining fruit cake and tea served by your friendly hosts. Closed in winter. Elphin, Lairg, IV27 4HH Spare tubes Ullapool Bicycle & Repair A trip to Ullapool and back for spares could eat into your day, but it’s good to know it’s there if you need it. Unit 7b, Latheron Centre, Latheron Lane, Ullapool, IV26 2XB Quick pint The Caberfeidh There’s good beer on hand-pull, and a tapas menu – or try the famous pies next door – we…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Pier Café Good meals, beers and great tableside views of Loch Katrine. Open seven days a week. An alternative is Liz MacGregor’s in Aberfoyle. Stronachlachar, FK8 3TY Spare tubes Killin Outdoor In the centre of the village the shop offers basic spares and parts and bike clothing. The shop also does mountain bike and canoe hire. Open seven days a week. Killin, FK21 8UJ With a group Boreland Loch Tay Hostel If you’re looking for accommodation for a group, this is an excellent bunkhouse near Killin with barbecue terrace and lake views. Fearnan, PH15 2PG Quick pint Killin Hotel Local real ale, plus meals, cakes and coffee at a riverside location with bike space aplenty. If the weather turns bad, you can comfortably sit out rainstorms…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Andy & Adam’s (Idris) Local-food cafe with good coffee, hearty broth, scones and muffins. It’s also the village store. Open 7/7. Bridge Street, Corris, SY20 9SP Spare tubes Dolgellau Cycles Well-stocked town centre bike shop for repairs, parts, spares… The shop also hires out hybrids for the Mawddach Trail. The Old Furnace, Smithfield Street, Dolgellau LL40 1DF Quick pint Yr Unicorn A fresh, friendly newly-refurbished pub with hyperlocal Cader beers (£3 a pint). There’s wifi too so update your Facebook and Instagram status here. Smithfield Square, Dolgellau LL40 1ES Go off-road Coed y Brenin Try out the celebrated forest trails suitable for all ages and abilities, plus a cafe, bike shop, bike hire, walks and picnic areas. Coed y Brenin LL40 2HZ Family time Heritage railways…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Cafe Frog The caramel shortbread is a favourite at this bike-friendly cafe. It has outdoor tables for al fresco dining and is open seven days a week. 2 Burgate, Pickering, YO18 7AU Spare tubes Yorkshire Cycle Hub A friendly bike centre offering spares, bike hire, repairs, a super cafe plus rooms and a bunkhouse. Open all week. Fryup Gill Farm, Great Fryup Dale, Lealholm, Whitby, YO21 2AP Quick pint Lion Inn Stunningly located pub set 1325ft up on a remote moorland, alone. It offers good food and accommodation. Open seven days a week. Blakey Ridge, Kirkbymoorside, YO62 7LQ Fish ‘n’ chips Magpie Cafe Competition for good fish and chips in Whitby is keen but Magpie’s is still unbeatable so expect queues! Open seven days a week.…

Local Knowledge Cake stop No Car Cafe At remote Rushop Hall, you’ll find a fresh-local-food cafe especially for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Closed Mon/Tue. Rushup Lane, Rushup, SK23 0QT Spare tubes 18 Bikes Just west of Hathersage, it’s a great bike shop where the staff really know their stuff, plus you can try out some enticing demo bikes. Closed Wed. Unit 3, 8 Castleton Road, Hope, S33 6RD Wild swim Plunge pool Enjoy some al-fresco bathing at the top end of Howden Reservoir. Clothing is optional (but warm weather helps). Slippery Stones lat 53.4526, long-1.7466 Quick pint Angler’s Rest A friendly communityowned pub near Hathersage. It serves up local real ale, food, artwork and even a post office. Secure bike parking available. Main Road, Bamford, BD23 4DB Family time…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast Jemima’s Kitchen The breakfasts here are warmly recommended. There’s a tea garden too should you be blessed with good weather. 48 High Street, Church Stretton, SY6 6BX Cake stop Castle Kitchen By the time you reach Montgomery, you’ll definitely be ready for some Welsh rarebit and cake. This is the place to find them. 8 Broad Street, Montgomery, SY15 6PH Spare tubes Plush Hill Cycles An enthusiastic independent shop. Although catering mainly for the mountain biking scene, it also keeps road bikes from Ridley and Genesis. 8 The Square, Church Stretton, SY6 6DA Quick pint The King’s Arms This agreeable pub seems to welcome outdoor sorts. Beers come from the Joule’s Brewery in nearby Market Drayton and the food is hearty. 53 High Street, Church Stretton,…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast Southdown Kitchen This cafe run by keen cyclists is situated on the edge of Dorking. Enjoy quality food including the all-day breakfast. 2 Brockham Lane, Brockham, RH3 7EL Cake stop The Dabbling Duck A cyclist’s favourite, offering a great selection of homemade cakes and drinks. Splurge on a Prosecco afternoon tea! Open seven days a week. Middle Street, Shere, GU5 9HF Spare tubes Head for the Hills This friendly local bike shop can be found in Dorking’s town centre. It offers spares and repairs, plus a bike-book share! Closed Sundays. 43 West Street, Dorking, RH4 1BU Quick pint The Plough Inn Real-ale and finefood pubs abound in the area, but The Plough brews its own and forages for local wild food. From here it’s a downhill…

Here at Cycling Plus we take our testing seriously and have been putting road cycling products through their paces for 26 years. Our test team, led by senior technical editor Warren Rossiter, is the best in the business. They’ve got decades of cycling experience between them and know what makes a good – and bad – bike, accessory, gadget or garment. That means you can trust us to bring you honest assessments of every product we feature. If it gets our seal of approval then you can be sure that you’ll be bagging a great buy! FIRST RIDE First Ride sees our test team bring you their first impressions of the most exciting new bikes available. As soon as they’re out, we’re riding! ROAD TEST Before you buy a bike,…

Since his election to the UCI presidency in 2017, David Lappartient has been largely defined by his very public desire to curb Team Sky’s dominance, floating ideas as various as salary caps, team size reduction, and the banning of power meters and race radios, not to mention the unsavoury tit-for-tat with Dave Brailsford conducted through the media. Of course, since the team’s sponsor signalled its intention to pull out of the sport at the end of the current season, Lappartient has been able to focus on matters more befitting a leader of a global sports governing body. So it was a good surprise when, in February, the announcement was made that Scotland would host the inaugural combined cycling world championships, bringing together the sports of road, track, mountain biking and…

Share your local knowledge – email cyclingplus@immediate.co.uk The gentle landscapes of Wilts, Hants and Dorset offer lovely countryside cycling on smooth, quiet lanes. There are remarkable sights from Stonehenge to Old Sarum, plus an iconic TV hill climb, England’s most winding road and the New Forest. Easily accessible Salisbury, 90 minutes by train from London, is our base, with a cathedral, big-town facilities and family cycle routes. ROUTE TWO Pony express, 48 miles Into the New Forest Once out of Salisbury’s suburbs, a half day of pleasant, away-from-itall cycling. Back lanes and small climbs take you into the almostwilderness of the New Forest (though never far from cafe or pub): mind the ponies! Moorland riding, then return along the quiet lower Avon Valley. Get the route: komoot.com/tour/55919446 ROUTE THREE Stonehenge saunter,…

Making a quality carbon frame and all-carbon tapered fork, decking it out with Shimano Tiagra and not going over a grand is an achievement for which Boardman Bikes should be applauded. The firm has pensioned off its Team Carbon and replaced it with this more modern-looking £1000 machine. But the same strengths are present and correct: a shortish, sportive-find commuting-friendly riding position; neat mudguard fittings and room for 28mm rubber; very tidily routed and rattle-free internal cabling. Plus Boardman’s own tubelessready rims, and Tektro brakes that perform better than some of their competitors. Thankfully, Boardman has finally replaced the oversize seatpost with a slimmer, more comfortable, 27.2mm model. We’d have liked a lower bottom gear, and the SLR 8.9 only comes in four sizes, but those are tiny gripes on…

THE CONTENDERS BMC ROAD MACHINE X £2000CANYON GRAIL AL 7.0 £1349GIANT REVOLT ADVANCED 0 £2999RIBBLE CGR TI 650B £2449TREK CHECK POINT SL6 £3400 “I WANT A BIKE THAT CAN GO ANY WHERE…” ALL-ROAD BIKES The explosion of ‘gravel’ bikes is something we at Cycling Plus have been keeping a close eye on for a few years now, becoming ever more impressed with models that have started to shun their origins as race bikes for events held on unmade back roads in the USA in favour of a styling that lends them to going places even beefed-up road bikes would fear to tread. We don’t have miles and miles of unmade dirt roads in the UK, but we do have plenty of farm tracks and woodland trails that can be used…

Based on an alloy frame, the Pro SL Lady is a great performing bike that boasts many of the benefits of pricier models. Direct-sell firm Rose has made a big effort to ensure that the alloy tubing is smooth and the welds are invisible, to the extent that you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s a carbon frame at first glance. Add to that Shimano Ultegra gearing, quality rubber and a carbon handlebar, and you’ve got a nice little package. Best of all, it performs impressively too. Carbon forks add welcome compliance to the ride without losing stiffness and, despite the fact that this is a lower-priced bike with an alloy frame, there’s little in the way of weight penalty. Rose has combined a Shimano Ultegra groupset, including cranks, with a…

Bianchi’s Oltre XR4 is a full-on aero machine where every inch of the beautifully sculpted frame is optimised to cheat the wind. Bianchi’s clever countervail technology on the chassis and fork acts as a damper to null road buzz and vibration. On the road, the XR4 feels rigid but not harsh. The bike pings across the surface, darts through corners and can be corrected in an instant. The ride position is also unforgivingly aggressive. The gearing (52/36, 11-28) is aimed at stronger riders and descending is a joy, a blend of supreme stiffness, delivered by the cockpit and oversized headtube, and confident handling, thanks to the grip and brake control from the excellent Ultegra hydraulic units and Ice-Tech rotors. The downside of such a wonderful chassis and cockpit combination is…

At Cycling Plus, we’ve always been fans of the TCR’s no-nonsense approach and racy outlook – 10 years ago it won the Bike of the Year crown, a feat it repeated in 2018 in its rim-braked guise. This model uses Giant’s second-tier Pro chassis, which combines a full carbon fork with Giant’s signature oversized ‘overdrive’ head tube and headset design. This large test bike has a 1007mm wheelbase, parallel 73° angles, a stack of 581mm and a reach of 402mm, putting it squarely in the racing camp when it comes to ride position. The TCR is firm, but it’s mighty fast too, and the excellent SLR1 deep-section carbon wheels, set up with plush 25c Tubeless GAVIA AC1 tyres, deliver a simply superb ride. So the TCR has a great chassis…

The German online giant Rose has progressed from competent, competitively priced direct-to-market bikes to some well developed, seriously tech machines that remain excellent value for money. Take this X-Lite 4 with full Shimano Ultegra Di2, Ritchey WCS components and some excellent wheels from DT Swiss. I had to keep checking the price as this sort of spec wouldn’t look out of place on a bike costing £1000 more. The X-Lite 4 chassis takes the original X-Lite frame, adds a few aero touches to the tube shaping and revises the geometry a little but remains lightweight. It’s comfortable enough to ride for hours on end, but the handling is quick enough for when you want some fun. If you want a good-value, lightweight bike with great components, then the X-Lite might…

To to be honest, the 10.0 filled us with trepidation. Ultralight showcase bikes often just don’t deliver the high expectations you inevitably have of them. We’re glad to report, however, that this superbike not only bucks that trend, but smashes it to pieces. The Ultimate CF frame has always been stiff, but stiffness that translates into excellent power transfer, and this Evo variant retains both stiffness and power transfer in abundance. When you combine those traits in a bike with this little overall mass, it means you’ll fly uphill and maintain superb speed on rolling terrain. The combination of its own split-design VCLS 2.0 seatpost and Fizik’s Antares 00 saddle produces a back end that’s brilliant at reducing buzz. Canyon has also used its own design up front: the one-piece…

Before we get into the nitty gritty of the Madone’s phenomenal quality let’s just look at that price tag, yes, that’s right, it’s five figures. For the same (or less) you could buy a new Ducati Scrambler, Kawasaki Z900RS, or a car like the Smart Fortwo, if you opt for used, how about a 2005 Maserati Quattroporte, or 2007 Porsche Boxster. Yes, the Madone SLR 9 is a serious amount of money, but it’s a serious amount of bike. As soon as you start pedalling the SLR it becomes apparent that this is something special, the pick-up is instantaneous and the acceleration is everything you’d expect from a superbike. The equipment it’s packing is superb with the Aeolus XXX 6 wheels a star of the show. They are shod with…

Merida’s Scultura is its WorldTour machine, as used by riders at Bahrain, and while it does have the Reacto for aero needs, it remains the bike designed for GC riding, so it’s all about lightweight and nimble handling. On the road this Scultura is everything that makes a classic lightweight race bike, the 860g frame is a stiff centrepiece to a lightweight whole (7.22kg) and a combination of sublimely fast handling and exactly the sort of finishing kit you’d expect from an £8000 bike makes for an addictively great bike to ride. The build is superb: Shimano’s premier Dura-Ace Di2, hydraulic brakes with Ice-Tech rotors, and the quality Dura-Ace cassette. FSA’s K-Force light carbon bar and OS99 stem create a super light cockpit and reduce road buzz and chatter. DT…

We know that many of you reading through our rundown might be wondering ‘who thehell is Rondo?’. And yes, this upstart Polish brand is certainly upsetting the apple cart with its different approach to bike design. That said, is it really any different to the major players? When the likes of Giant arrived on the scene in the ’70s, the established European bike brands probably thought the same thing; as with the invasion of American brands Trek, Specialized and Cannondale. In the ’90s, brands such as Cervélo (Canada) and Canyon (Germany) helped take bike production and design even more global, pretty much putting an end to the stranglehold British, French, Spanish and Italian firms had on the road-bike world. Personally, I think the bike industry needs this level of division,…

On a club training ride, competitive event or full-on race meeting the to-and-fro of the riders in the pack, the overlapping flow of the peloton, the change of leadership and the perfectly timed breakaway are all key elements of cycling strategy. But for the rider who’s dropped, that thrill fast turns to fret as they try to get back among the getaway group. On the elite circuit it’s TV gold, the kind of stuff that sends race fans wild – but that’s no consolation for the men or women caught out by an explosive breakaway and suddenly tasked with chasing it down… “EVERY RIDER HAS A LIMIT, AND CHASING TOO HARD TOO SOON WILL LEAVE YOU TOO FATIGUED” 1 TIME YOUR RECOVERY “Timing is key to bringing back a breakaway.…

THE WEST RIDING CLASSIC Joe Clarke has ridden the West Riding Classic (WRC) through the Yorkshire Dales every year since its inception. Here’s what you need to know before taking part… 1 IT’S A ‘TRUE’ CLASSIC The WRC eschews digital timing systems, high energy gels and the anonymous tech of much of modern cycling. Instead, the 30-, 60- or 70-mile routes to and from Clapham Village offer clocking-in cards, home-cooked food and old-style camaraderie. 2 RUN FOR THE HILLS I’ve done longer sportives, but the WRC has some of the toughest individual climbs, by a good way. On the extra-long 70-mile route there’s 2200m of vertical ascent – but you do get some ace descents as a reward. 3 TAKE IN THE SIGHTS It doesn’t matter how fast or slow…

GETTING THERE Eurostar to Lille (23km from the start/finish of our route and also a good place to hire a bike – see right) is one option, or you could fly to Paris (CDG) from where it’s a twohour drive. WHERE TO STAY We stayed at the Ibis Budget Petite Forêt, just off the A23 motorway outside Valenciennes, where a double room will cost around €35. It’s a half-hour’s drive to where we started our ride in Monsen-Pévèle, or you could pick up the route in Wallers, which is just a few kilometres away. www.accorhotels.com BIKE HIRE We hired a B’Twin Triban 540 aluminium model with standard 25mm tyres from the B’Twin Village megastore in Lille for €27. It coped with the demands of the cobbles and my 90-kilo frame…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast The Central Cafe Here’s a place that takes a lot of pride in the food it serves. Expect Scottish delicacies and friendly service too. Bayfield Lane, Portree, IV51 9EL Pie stop The Skye Pie Cafe It’s almost impossible to cycle past the Skye Pie Cafe and not go in. Everyone knows pies are the best riding food anyway. Glenview Hotel, Culnacnoc, IV51 9JH Spare tubes Island Cycles Skye’s only bike shop, though hire centres are dotted over the island. Island Cycles is happy for you to drop in with urgent repairs. The Green, Portree, IV51 9BT Quick pint Sligachan Hotel There are some great beers brewed on the island and you will find most of them here, along with 400 (yes, really) malt whiskies. Sligachan, IV46…

Local Knowledge Breakfast Fulla Beans Coffee & Food Bar A bright, clean cafe that serves a great breakfast that won’t grease you out, and is well known for its friendly staff. 1 Church Street, Warrenpoint BT34 3HN Cake stop Maud’s Coffee Shop While Maud’s does all kinds of lunches, scones, tray bakes and so forth, it’s the ice cream that’s sure to grab your attention. 13 Greencastle Street, Kilkeel, BT34 4BH Spare tubes Stewart Cycles This tiny repair shop tucked away on the quayside will see you right for spares, repairs and rentals. There are bigger shops up the road in Newry. 14 Havelock Place, Warrenpoint, BT34 3NE Quick pint Fegan’s First and Last Old-style Irish hostelry where there’s a high chance of finding traditional music, or the All Ireland…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Drover Cycles The shop recently made the natural expansion into coffee, as well as hot food and packed lunches. It’s open air so all seating is outside. Forest Road, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EH Spare tubes Drover Cycles A town renowned for its books (The Hay Festival) also knows its bikes and this is one of its premier shops for kit, bike hire and servicing. Forest Road, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5EH Quick pint Foxhunter Bar Within The Angel’s premises but attracting locals just for its beer, the Foxhunter Bar’s open fire is a big hit in the colder months. 15 Cross Street, Abergavenny, NP7 5EN Off the bike Y Fenni Therapies When the climbs have wrought their damage, this sports massage therapist will set to work on your aching…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Fodder Spacious localproduce deli-cafe in Yorkshire Showground with fine food and coffee deals. Grand views and ample bike parking. Open 7/7. Railway Road, Harrogate, HG2 8NZ Spare tubes Halfords Harrogate’s town-centre independent bike shops have either closed, or stopped regular retail, so this high-street staple is your best bet. Open 7/7. Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, HG2 7LU Quick pint Black Sheep Brewery This iconic brewery in Masham offers tours, a bar, food and a shop. The Tap in Harrogate train station also does great ale. Wellgarth, Masham, HG4 4EN Make a prophet Mother Shipton’s Cave ‘Yorkshire’s Nostradamus’ has been going since 1630! (Quirky St Robert’s cave, one mile away, is free.) Prophecy Lodge, High Bridge, Knaresborough, HG5 8DD Family time Valley Gardens Don’t fancy cycling today? Walk…

Local Knowledge Have breakfast Hicks Lodge Cafe This eco-friendly cafe at the National Forest Cycle Centre will rustle up a bacon sandwich to set you up. There’s great coffee and cakes on offer too. Willesley Woodside, Moria LE65 2UP Cake stop Calke Abbey The ride through Calke Abbey would be worth the entry fee even if cyclists didn’t get in for free! An excellent courtyard cafe provides a great selection of cakes. Ticknall, DE73 7LE Spare tubes Just Bikes An independent bike retailer located on the Green in Ashbyde-la-Zouch, offering a range of bicycles and accessories for riders of any level. 7-8 The Green, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, LE65 1JU Quick pint The New Inn, Peggs Green Run by the same family since 1978, this traditional pub has a lovely garden and a…

Local Knowledge Cake stop Bakery on the Water Family-run artisan bakery and cafe serving up freshly baked breads, pastries and cakes. Will also pack a picnic for you. 1 Sherborne Street, Bourton-onthe-Water, GL54 2BY Spare tubes Cotswold Cycles Well-specced bike shop for tweaks, repairs, parts, new bikes or advice: it’s the home of North Cotswold Cycle Club. Open seven days a week. 3 Cotswold Link, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 0JU Go pagan Rollright Stones Our Route Three passes this ancient mini-Stonehenge, which is a magnet for pagans. £1 adults/50p kids, open dawn to dusk. Great Rollright, Chipping Norton, OX7 5QB Quick pint The Bell Inn Traditional High Street coaching inn (bike parking in courtyard) with good food and cask beer. Lord of the Rings writer JRR Tolkien drank here! High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh,…