Innehållsförteckning för December 2024 från Cycling Plus

Getting a first look at what our writers conjure up each issue is a perk of my job and Mark Bailey’s feature ‘Save it for a Rainy Day’ (p38), which reveals how to not just tolerate riding in the wet but embrace it, struck a chord with me. Perhaps because of the chastening days I’ve spent slogging through near-freezing rain in the Dolomites, or on particularly soggy editions of the Fred Whitton Challenge in Cumbria, I’ve become a bit fair-weather with my rides at home. Yet, as Mark writes, it’s precisely because of the volatility of race-day conditions that we need to hone our wet-weather skills, like we would any other aspect of our riding. So, let’s don the rain capes, slap on the embrocation and make the most of…

The everyday human interaction was such a big part of this ride. People came out to ride with me with huge hearts. They’d come to the side of the road in the dark, with their signs of encouragement. People would say things like, ‘You met my brother in Switzerland’. I met so many different members of families as I was riding around the world and it made it feel as if every place was connected. I remember riding through this very rural area of Oklahoma. I hadn’t seen anybody all day and there were people sitting on the grass in camping chairs. When I passed they stood up and were waving flags, and there was this guy with a huge white beard telling me that he was proud of me.…

At a glance, the new Aeroad looks incredibly similar to the outgoing version (the 2021 Aeroad CFR). The subtle changes are based mainly on feedback from Canyon’s sponsored pros, such as Mathieu van der Poel, and the team mechanics who work with the bike every day. At the front end, the changes are focused on improving aerodynamic efficiency: the tube shapes have become narrower and deeper. The rear has been slimmed down to save weight, while also improving comfort, partly thanks to a newly developed carbon lay-up. Canyon claim that this new model has “wind-tunnel numbers eclipsing anything else raced in the WorldTour”. 01 Cleverer cockpit Canyon’s new PACE bar brings increased adjustability and interchangeable drops. It also adopts the ‘Gear Groove’ from their Grail CFR handlebar, to enable compatibility…

Weight 8.36kg (58cm) Frame Scandium aluminium Fork Carbon fibre Gears Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 (11–30t, 52/36t) Brakes Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 Wheels DT Swiss ARC 1400 Dicut 50 Finishing kit Zipp Service Course SL carbon seatpost, Fizik Argo Adaptive R1 saddle, Deda Elementi Superbox DCR alloy stem, Deda Elementi Superzero RS carbon bar, Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR 700 x 28c tyres Built by the German brand Standert, the Kreissäge RS frame has Italian-made Dedacciai Scandium aluminium tubes, each custom-drawn for the Kreissäge RS, which, Standert claim, boosts the bike’s stiffness. The unspecified proportion of scandium within the chassis is said to make it 10 per cent lighter, and a degree stiffer, than the standard alloy used in the regular Kreissäge frame. Striking curvy seatstays feature, while the top-tube gently transforms in…

Your Experts Jack Evans Digital writer Hill climb and indoor training fan Jack is among those rating heart rate monitor straps for us Ashley Quinlan Road technical lead Ash heads out into the darkness and tests a trio of rear bike lights Warren Rossiter Senior technical editor This month’s duties include testing a custom bike and an innovative ebike kit Matt Baird Contributor CP’s former editor tries the Kinesis GX Race gravel bike in a custom spec…

Weight 9.17kg (54cm/medium) Frame Kinesis GX Race, 6069 aluminium (1.69kg) Fork Columbus Futura Plus carbon with 12mm thru-axle Gears Shimano SLX 11-speed cassette (11–42t), GRX rear derailleur and chainset Brakes Shimano GRX hydraulic disc Wheels Reynolds WS G700 Finishing kit Thomson Elite Inline seatpost, Repente Artax GL saddle, Thomson Elite X4 stem, Thomson Elite Inline seatpost, Thomson Alloy Road Drop Bar Aero Top handlebar, Repente 3mm ’bar tape, Challenge Getaway tyres A 60km loop aboard the Kinesis GX Race in Somerset’s wonderful Quantock Hills – taking in quiet tarmac, exposed headlands, thrilling descents and some properly rugged off-road terrain – ranks as my favourite ride of 2024. It also highlighted all the pros and cons of this custom build, especially when it came to the contact points… but more on that…

Moon’s Rigel Max may be compact but it still offers good illumination and run times. There are two constant modes, and toggling between them allows you to lower illumination so you don’t dazzle on-coming traffic. While small for its output, it still manages a claimed run time of 1:30hrs on its 1,500-lumen peak output. It’s well built, with an all-metal casing, a single control button on its top and a rear USB-C port. The lens, behind which are two LEDs, is divided into an upper part with horizontal ridges and a plain lower part, and there are side illumination ports. Six modes are split between two constant and four flashing. The Rigel has the widest range of mounting options on test, including a half-turn handlebar mount, a helmet mount with…

The rear of this chunky-looking light is plastic but the front is metal. There are five modes: three constant and two flashing. A USB-C charge port at the rear can also be used to plug in a wired remote, which attaches to your ’bar with a Velcro strap. A single button on both the light and the remote toggles through the modes, while a double click switches between the constant and flashing settings. Large side ports boost side-on visibility. While the F1500 is powerful, it takes up a fair bit of ’bar space and is quite heavy, at 202g. There’s a separate LED array for each light mode and for the battery life, making it easier to spot which power setting you’re using. The enclosed GoPro adapter allows for under-bar…

Weight 9.32kg (XL) Frame Columbus Spirit steel Fork Columbus Futura, carbon fibre Gears Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 (11–32t, 52/36t) Brakes Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 Wheels Deda Route SL4 DB Carbon Finishing kit Deda Elementi Zero stem, Deda Elementi Zero handlebar and seatpost, Prologo Scratch M5 Tirox saddle, Continental Ultra Sport 700 x 28c tyres Cinelli’s Nemo TIG Disc is a throw-back to racing bikes of old, with a 2024 twist. A contemporary race geometry results in sharp handling, though it can tick off a more sociable tempo, too. There are shortcomings in this build, including the frame’s limited tyre clearance, but there’s plenty to like. Personal frame touch The frame is made from triple-butted Columbus Spirit steel tubes, made near Cinelli’s factory in Milan, and custom-drawn for the Nemo TIG Disc.…

“Don’t worry about the rain – your skin’s waterproof. Crack on!” That’s the stoical attitude Geraint Thomas adopts when leaden skies give him, as he puts it, the “meteorological middle finger”. In The World of Cycling According to G, Thomas insists: “You can’t be a bike rider in the UK if you don’t like riding in the rain.” Yes, when fat droplets sizzle on the tarmac, it can be dispiriting. But rainy days are also a chance to enjoy some raw elemental fun, learn vital wet weather skills and build extra mental resilience, giving you an edge over fair weather riders. As Thomas writes: “We can handle it where others cannot.” Many riders have already experienced Thomas’s wet weather epiphany. But most of us have to consciously sculpt a new…

PRESENTED BY HOW IT WORKS NOW Your votes are in for Rider of the Year NOW Your votes are in for Newcomer of the Year NOW Our panel will pick the Lifetime award winner 21 NOV Exclusive awards ceremony in Bristol 22 NOV Winners announced in CP issue 426 • A huge thank you to everyone who voted in our Rider of the Year 2024 awards, sponsored by Lezyne. Also, to all those who nominated their favourite athletes, fundraisers and pioneers, and helped us to draw up our shortlists. The online polls have now closed, votes are being counted and we’ll soon know the winners in the Rider of the Year and Newcomer of the Year categories. Meanwhile, the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award will be decided shortly by…

“These are Udog’s first shoes without laces and their first using microfibre leather rather than 3D-knitted uppers” Italian upstarts Udog impressed us with their excellent Cima and Tensione road shoes, which use a unique ribbon-tensioning system that wraps around the forefoot to provide an even and supportive fit. Previously, all their footwear has used laces, to keep things simple and light. Now though, due to demand from racing riders who want the on-the-fly adjustment you only get from dials, we’ve got the premium-priced Cento – Udog’s first shoe without laces and their first using microfibre leather rather than a 3D-knitted upper. Here, they combine dials with their signature ribbon tensors (called TWS 2.0) to great effect. The full-carbon outsole has built-in rubberised toe and heel bumpers, and features a single…

Weight 7.44kg (custom size) Frame Custom carbon Fork Columbus carbon road Gears SRAM Red AXS (10-36t, 46/33t) Brakes SRAM Red hydraulic disc with Paceline X CL 160mm rotors Wheels Partington R-Series MKII R39/44 Finishing kit Enve 27.2mm seatpost, Posedla Joyseat v2.0 3D printed custom saddle, Enve carbon road 110mm stem, Enve IN-Route carbon road bar 44cm, Pirelli P-Zero TLR 28mm tyres Extras Time X10 pedals, power meter, Wolf Tooth titanium bottle cages Festka aren’t your average bicycle brand. Based in Prague, Czechia, they design and hand-build exclusive custom carbon fibre frames to order. My test Spectre is the brand’s out-and-out race bike, designed to provide ultimate stiffness through the pedals, yet with comfort built in too for long, fast days in the saddle. As you’dexpect, ithasano-holds-barred, eye-wateringly expensive specification. As…

The stylish Volume 1500 is the Swedish company’s highest-output bike light. A top button switches the light on and off and toggles between continuous and flashing modes, while a large rotary switch on the side has five positions to change the level of constant illumination or the flash pattern and intensity. Small cutouts in the sides make you more visible to other road users and four small LEDs on top show battery charge level. It comes with a Garmin-compatible quarter-turn mount and a GoPro mount. Despite its sleek looks, at 202g it’s heavy for its type. Bookman quote a three-hour run time for its 1,500-lumen high-beam mode, but I managed around 2:30hrs. Its lowest-output constant mode is said to run for up to 34hrs. In flashing modes run time rises…

Nominally the joint brightest light reviewed, the AMPP 1700 is also marginally the heaviest and is quite big. It offers four constant modes and two flashing, and scrolls through five of them in one menu. A double tap of the control button activates the 1,700-lumen Ultra Boost mode, reducing the claimed run time to 1:25hrs. It’s rated a quite low IPX4, protecting against splashes only. A ‘Hot’ warning sticker indicates the body is designed to diffuse heat. The light is easily attached to the ’bar using Cateye’s slide-in FlexTight mount: a secure, plastic zip-tie-like band tightened by a threaded plastic nut. A helmet mount is also included. There’s a good flood of light in the higher constant-output modes, with decent peripheral illumination and a more intense central spot. Large side windows…

Your Experts James Witts Boost your ride  Cycling author James delves into the enigmatic world of the placebo effect Mark Bailey Boost your ride The sports writer talks to the experts about how to avoid illness this winter Kate Allan Masterclass Time triallist Kate offers indoor training advice in a Rouvy-sponsored Masterclass Steve Burnell Experience Steve ‘Burney’ Burnell tells us how he and his army colleagues conquered LEJOG…

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Paul position Designer clothing brand Paul Smith have expanded their eye-catching collection of cycling gear (jerseys, bib shorts, baselayers, lightweight jackets and more). Items cost from £20  paulsmith.com Stevie wonder Stevie Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) has become the first Brit since 2016 – and first Welshman ever – to win the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain since its relaunch in 2004. He also pocketed a couple of stages on the way Lap land At the time of writing, pro rider Lachlan Morton was on track to break the record for the fastest lap of his native Australia. He was looking to ride 400km a day during the 14,000km challenge Squared routes By the time you read this, the routes for the 2025 Tours de France will have been revealed in a…

Butted tubing • Bike tubing, whatever metal it’s made from, is usually butted. This means tube walls are thicker at the ends of the tubes – where there’s more stress and you need more material for the joints to other tubes – and thinner in the middle to save weight. Single-butted tubes are thicker at one end (for example, at the bottom-bracket junction), double-butted tubes are thicker at both ends and triple butting further reduces the thickness in the middle of the tube. Hydroformed • Butting is only part of the story and you’ll often see premium alloy frames described as “hydroformed”. This means the tubes have been shaped by using high-pressure fluid to form them to fit a certain mould. Lugged frames • Lugged construction is a method of…

Weight 8.84kg (58cm) Frame Titanium Fork Carbon fibre Gears Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 (11–30t, 52/36t) Brakes Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 Wheels J.Laverack ÆRA AR 65 Finishing kit J.Laverack ÆRA carbon seatpost, Brooks Cambium C13 saddle, Pro PLT alloy stem, Pro Vibe Aero carbon bar, Continental GP5000 S TR, 700 x 30c tyres J.Laverack’s R J.ack Disc is a mightily impressive road bike. This traditional British bicycle company, based in Rutland, specialise in titanium frames and offer the R J.ack in two preset geometries, Race or Classic, but will do bespoke geometry – for an extra £500 including a bike fit – as well as build it up to your own specification. In this Race geometry, the frame combines the sharp handling of a race bike with the smooth ride titanium is…

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With Specialized, Fizik, Selle Italia and Selle San Marco all having 3D-printed saddles in their ranges, Prologo have now used their own version of the technology throughout an entire seat (the MSS in its name stands for multi-sector system). The NAGO R4 PAS 3DMSS stands out from the crowd not only because of its particularly teeny 148.9g mass, but because of Prologo’s use of the tech. The company claim that they have a different take on 3D-printed perches, with the design throughout the saddle not only changing the diameter, size and pattern of the honeycomb structure, but also the material composition. They say this gives different levels of compliance and pressure relief from nose to tail. Ten sectors of the saddle’s padding possess different patterns, composition and elasticity. Its shape…

A boxy light designed to be used exclusively under-’bar with your GoPro mount, the Evo 1700SD can be paired with Shimano Di2 shifters for easy control. There’s also a non-SD version with a wireless remote that makes it easier to operate for non-Di2 users. The light is easy to slide on and off a GoPro mount. It can be toggled between a high-beam flood and a dipped beam, which cuts off the upper half of the flood (double tap the side switch if you don’t have Di2). The high-beam illumination pattern isn’t as broad or well-focused as some and feels dimmer than the stated 1,700 lumens. This light also had the longest throw of those on test. When not in high-beam mode, there’s a reasonably broad spread of light, although…

This well thought-out light from Australian brand Knog has a clip-in design that enables it to be mounted atop your ’bar or under it in the included GoPro mount. It gives a broad spread of light with good peripheral illumination, allowing you to pick your way and identify hazards on twisty roads and trails, and is the most waterproof light on test, rated IP67. The Blinder 1300 has a compact, square-section metal body. At its front are six LEDs providing the indicated 1,300-lumen peak output. There’s a control switch on the top, two side illumination ports and a USB-C charge port on the bottom (Knog don’t include a cable though). It’s increasingly common for lights to come with a GoPro mount, allowing them to be slung under a cycling computer to…

They’ve been almost 15 years at, or close to, the top. Their success has been phenomenal, even if the methodology has threatened to cross the line at times. The numbers speak for themselves: Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers captured the Grand Tours and made them theirs, in particular the Tour de France. To have won the race seven times with four different riders over an eight-year period is a crazily dominant position. When you add into the mix Egan Bernal, Tao Geoghegan Hart and Chris Froome’s Giro victories, plus the Italian near-misses of Geraint Thomas and Richard Carapaz, the stats become even more mind-boggling. Then there’s the small matter of the Vuelta, which Froome won twice. UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike still have some way to go match…