Innehållsförteckning för January 2025 från Cycling Plus

Electrical assistance has now come to every type of bicycle. We’ve seen road, mountain, hybrid, cargo and even BMX bikes get electrified. But perhaps the most compelling transformation has been that of allroad and gravel bikes. You can now have a lightweight bike to zip along the road or trail, with a handy boost of assistance when you need it on steep, loose climbs, allowing you to stay seated for longer. This helps prevent you losing grip and having to dismount and push your bike to the summit. 01 Motor pacing All three of our contenders use smaller batteries and lighter motors to keep the overall ride experience more akin to a non-assisted bike. The Sonder El Camino (half the price of the other two) uses the new Kynamic BC250…

You don’t have to work too hard to figure out why Siraj Balubaid secured almost 40% of votes in our reader poll – and with it our 2024 Rider of the Year award. The story of how this Yemeni refugee used his beloved bicycle to integrate into his adopted city of Glasgow is one our favourite features we’ve published this year and speaks of the boundary-breaking, frontier-opening possibilities of riding a bike. Siraj arrived in Scotland in 2019 from Yemen, happy at the prospect of the new life ahead of him but apprehensive at the thought of starting out all over again alone. It took three years for his asylum application to be processed by the Home Office, a “very stressful” period when he couldn’t work or easily study, despite…

I’m riding through the flatlands of rural Lincolnshire. My bike computer is back at home and my phone is turned off. A cyclist could easily get lost here. However, I’m somehow navigating a 100km loop using ‘natural navigation’ – a rewarding technique, part Sherlock Holmes, part Bear Grylls, which draws on the rich clues provided by nature itself. The midday sun shows me where south is, as do the plump berries on the sunnier southern side of a hedge. Piles of dung under a tree suggest that sheep have been sheltering from the summer sun on the shaded north side. Later on, lowering clouds warn me of imminent rain. But the wind-sculpted shape of nearby trees suggests the prevailing winds here will give me a turbo-tailwind home. Even the birds, puddles,…

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“The material is noticeably tough on grinding discs, getting through three and wearing well into the fourth, making the D16 MAX one of the toughest locks around” This burly 2.79kg lock has a 16mm-diameter boron steel shackle that’s reinforced with a proprietary, welded anti-angle grinder armoured layer. Even the lock mechanism is protected by the same tough, 25mm hardened steel surface, showing impressive attention to detail. All this means the D16 MAX has the highest Sold Secure bicycle lock rating – ‘Powered Cycle Diamond Approved’. To achieve this, it had to resist five minutes of attack by the independent company using a multitude of tools, including the professional thief’s favourite, the battery-powered portable angle grinder. The lock itself is a high-security, six-pin key cylinder with anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump technology.…

Thule OutWay Hanging £399.99 A robust rack but you pay a heavy price Sizes two-bike, three-bike (tested) Weight 8.9kg Requiring neither a tow bar nor a roof rack, Thule’s premium boot rack attaches to your car’s rear via strong and secure aluminium arms and steel cables. It can carry up to three bikes of 15kg each, though can be used with one or two at a time. Folding down to a compact size for storage, it unfurls to suit your vehicle’s rear proportions, with rubber helping to protect all of the areas where rack meets car. Two to tango First installation requires a little patience, even if the Ikea-esque photo instructions are relatively easy to follow. Just don’t leave it until the day of travel to open the box! Subsequent…

Weight 8.34kg (L) Frame Advanced-grade composite Fork Advanced SL-grade composite Groupset SRAM Force AXS, 2x12 Wheels Giant CXR1 Carbon Disc WheelSystem Tyres Cadex GX 40mm Seatpost Giant D-Fuse SLR, composite Saddle Giant Grit SL Stem Giant Contact AeroLight Handlebar Giant Contact SLR XR D-Fuse The 2025 Revolt Advanced Pro brings subtle changes to the already-excellent platform from Giant, with adaptable geometry and clearance for sizeable 53mm tyres. It’s a serious rival to bikes such as BMC’s Kaius, Factor’s Ostro Gravel, and Specialized’s S-Works Crux, undercutting them all on price. This fourth-generation frame’s changes from the previous 2022 design are subtle – integrated cables, a geometry tweak and new down tube storage – while retaining an identical 990g claimed frame weight (size Medium). At the front end, the sculpted tubes look…

Huddled around the warm glow of candlelight on the cabin’s cushioned bench seats, Jørgen handed each of us a miniature bottle of Norwegian aquavit. We were still distant from the harshness of the oncoming Scandinavian winter, but the glowing, low sun of these September days soon gave way to a biting chill at night. The three-pronged approach of a well-stocked wood-burning stove, cosy woollen blankets and the warming spirit was welcomed. Some bikepacking purists may insist on carrying all their own camping gear with them, but there’s sometimes a smarter – and in this case, far more magical – approach. Travel to Scotland and make use of small stone-built bothies, or enjoy the lively wooden mountain refuges in the Alps. Here in Norway, there’s a huge network of wilderness cabins…

01 HOW CAN I LOSE BELLY FAT? Even the most committed cyclist can cast their eyes down and, enlarged by form-fitting polyester, view a gut that betrays their healthy hobby. Age is a particular amplifier of this deep abdominal fat known as visceral fat. It protects the organs, so has its virtues, but too much can lead to inflammation and metabolic disease. How can you banish it? Well, continuing your cycle journey will certainly do no harm. As, we’re afraid to say, will cutting alcohol. The following ideas will also help and are scientifically proven. A WEIGHT OFF YOUR MIND Maxi Jazz, of the band Faithless, lit up many an arena with the restless words: “I can’t get no sleep.” You wouldn’t have known it to look at the slender frontman,…

L’Étape du Tour Albertville, France 20 July 2025 ● Every year since 1993, L’Étape du Tour has given you the chance to ride one of the legendary mountain stages of the Tour de France, under the same race conditions as the pros, and with closed roads. Next year’s route starts in Albertville, south of Chamonix, and finishes at La Plagne ski res ort, 131km and 4,500m of ascent later. It takes in four huge climbs, including the Col du Pré. Registration opened on 6 November so enter now!…

Statistics show that it’s the toughest feat in professional cycling. Riders who’ve achieved the ‘Triple Crown’ – winning the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and World Championships Road Race in the same season – number just three men (Eddy Merckx, 1974; Stephen Roche, 1987; and Tadej Pogačar, 2024) and one woman (Annemiek van Vleuten, 2022). Like for a world record or number one ranking, no physical award is bestowed on the rider – and in the case of the Triple Crown, it’s not even an official title recognised by the governing body. Its value lies in recognition from those who understand what goes into such a colossal physical task. The achievement of van Vleuten in 2022 shouldn’t be underestimated. Hers was an otherworldly season, which also included wins at the…

I’m sitting in my little office in east London, with rain pounding at the window. After a wet September, weather warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain promise more of the same. It’s fair to say 2024 was a soggy year in the UK. January and February featured record rainfall, as did spring, recording 132% of the 1991-2020 average. A relatively dry summer (for most) was followed by what I’m hearing now – more rain. Less than half a mile from where I sit, a cycle route has become a part of the solution, not just for transport and health, but for the extreme weather events, including storms, we can expect due to climate change. Romford Road was, perhaps, an unexpected candidate for a major protected cycle lane, but that’s what…

PUDDLES That puddle on the road or track is also a handy compass. On a hedge-lined route running west-east, there’ll be more puddles on the south side, as it’ll be shaded by the hedge so the sun won’t dry it so quickly. And if there’s opaque green water at one end of the puddle and clearer water at the other, plant matter has likely been blown by the prevailing winds (southwesterly in the UK) towards the puddle’s northeast corner. Who needs a GPS? TREES Tops of trees are often combed into an ‘aero’ shape by the prevailing southwesterly winds in the UK. Also, notice how the branches tend to be denser and more horizontal on the tree’s sunny southern side, and sparser and more vertical on its northern side as…

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Weight 8.62kg (58cm) Frame 7000-series aluminium Fork Carbon fibre Groupset Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8100 (11-30t, 52/36t) Wheels Mavic Cosmic S 42 Disc Tyres Continental GP5000 S TR, 700cx28mm Finishing kit Deda Elementi Zero 100 alloy seatpost, Fizik Vento Antares R3 saddle, Deda Elementi SuperZero RS stem (120mm), Deda Elementi Zero 100 handlebar (40cm) Condor’s Italia RC Disc is a shining example of what can be achieved using the most modest of frame materials. It handles like a race bike should, without delivering an overly rigid ride experience – something often touted as a weakness of aluminium race bikes. The fact you can spec it (for a price) to fit your needs means it has the potential to stray into dream-bike territory. The frame is made from 7000-series aluminium, which is…

SRAM’s Red XPLR AXS mixes new gravel-specific components with the current Red AXS road groupset to produce an off-road group with some seriously cool tech. However, if you want a completely fresh setup, it’ll set you back an eye-watering £3,896 (or £3,446 without a power meter). My test bike also featured Zipp’s new gravel-specific SL 70 XPLR carbon handlebar (£320). Of course, because it’s compatible with older AXS components of any level, you don’t need the latest Red levers, brakes or even the crankset – although the changes here bring some useful benefits. Here are the top 10 things we think you should know about this exciting new groupset. 01 Simple set-up ● The set-up experience is different, to say the least. There are no high and low limit screws,…

Why not make the most of the long nights at this time of year to plan your next big cycling adventure? You’ll probably have to start with the grand idea – the destination, or even the specific mountain pass (turn the page for a few suggestions) – and then work backwards into the finer details. That’s where this issue’s Masterclass comes in. With years of experience planning inspiring rides, our expert guide Clare Dewey can help you decide when to go, what to take and how to make it a highlight of 2025. 01 CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIME Got a dream destination in mind that you want to tick off your cycling bucket list? Consider the time of year you’ll be travelling before booking. Look out for events, such as the Tour…

All three bikes here could be worthy victors in this battle, depending on your needs and wants. The Canyon’s high-tech motor system and impeccable spec are commendable. As a bike for big treks or long days out, the Grizl:ONfly CF 9 is hard to fault. However, the CF Trail version, with its mountain bike gearing and dropper post, looks a better option if you’re after a full-on off-roader, and would enable you to unleash the Bosch motor’s potential. On the flipside, the CF Daily would be a wonderful long-distance commuter for year-round use that could handle some gravel too. Sonder’s El Camino is a pure gravel e-bike – it doesn’t have the road speed of the Ribble or the all-around prowess of the Canyon. That said, it rides well on…

Maurice Burton’s reaction to finding out that he’s won our Lifetime Achievement award may be somewhat like when he was inducted into British Cycling’s Hall of Fame last year. “They asked me if I wanted to accept it and, of course, I did. But I did feel, when I looked at some of the other people in it, like Tom Simpson… I mean, I did okay as a rider, but I didn’t do anything that was on the level of someone like him.” Wait until he finds out he fended off competition from Mark Cavendish to win Cycling Plus’ own hall of fame award! It’s been a big year for Maurice. His life story was immortalised in print, with the help of author Paul Jones, in The Maurice Burton Way: Britain’s…

Time XPRESSO 4 £75 Platform width 60mm Q factor (stance width) 53mm Weight (pair) 236g Time differ significantly from their rivals with their iClick engagement system, where the retention mechanism is left open when you’re not using it, much like a ski binding. In my view, it’s a much easier system to clip into. The XPRESSO 4 has a carbon fibre-filled resin body and steel axle. Although Time say servicing isn’t necessary, the pedal can be disassembled, and replacement bearing kits are available. You’ll need a specific tool though. These pedals perform superbly. Engagement is easy, as is the solid-clicking exit. Cleat wear is on a par with Shimano but not as long-lasting as with Look’s system. There’s plenty of kind-to-your knees float, and swapping left and right cleats ups the…

Garmin Edge 840 Solar GPS £519.99 Investing in a GPS bike computer allows you to track your progress and find your way through unfamiliar lands. This touchscreen Edge unit has up to a whopping 60 hours of battery life (in battery saver mode) to help you on your way. Insta360 Ace Pro camera £329.99 Photos from your phone are one thing, but high-definition video footage of your trip from a state-of-the-art camera is another. Insta360’s Ace Pro comes with a Leica lens, and performs particularly admirably in low light. Epic Road Rides website Looking for beautifully crafted, in-depth content to help you plan your cycling trips? Epicroadrides.com is home to hundreds of articles on cycling in 80+ destinations worldwide. And there’s no paywall!…

Route des Grandes Alpes, France Take on an iconic cycling route through the French Alps from Geneva to Nice. The precise stats vary, but you’re looking at roughly 720km, 17,000m of climbing and 18 major cols, including the Galibier and Iseran. It’s a serious challenge! Via Francigena, Italy Discover some of Italy’s most scenic landscapes by bike on the historic Via Francigena route. The 280km section from Siena to Rome takes in idyllic Tuscan landscapes, iconic Italian cities and the country’s legendary white gravel roads. Shimanami Kaido, Japan Looking for a two-wheeled adventure further afield? The Shimanami Kaido is one of Japan’s most famous cycling routes. This ride connects several islands, taking in fishing towns, beautiful temples and coastal scenery.…

In March 2024, I embarked on a ride that’s part of my Ultimate Seven project, where I’m aiming to journey from the lowest to the highest points on all seven continents. After years of dreaming, researching and gaining experience, I was ready to take on what would be the most physically, mentally and logistically demanding challenge of my life. The early days of the ride were gruelling. Three days in, I was battling strong headwinds in Nevada, already feeling the strain mentally as well as on my body. I had two young children at home, and the thought of being away for 10 weeks, combined with the physical pain and the pressure of staying on schedule, had me doubting whether I could finish. I had to push through the pain…