Table of contents for September 2018 in Cycling Plus

£2400 (frameset only) Smooth ride The fork has a leaf-spring suspension system that gives 30mm of friction-free travel at the front, which does a remarkable job of removing grit-based buzz from the bar to boost all-day ride comfort. It also sticks the wheel to the ground for improved grip, aiding cornering and braking traction. The Grit SL fork is sleeker and stiffer than the original Grit fork. All-day trucking The True Grit is designed as a gravel race bike, built for races such as the UK’s Dirty Reiver and the Dirty Kanza 200 in Kansas. The geometry is long, low and slack, so it doesn’t throw up any surprises when tarmac turns to dirt. The frame is stiff enough to transmit power effectively, without being too harsh. Super-simple design Unless…

While driving to work you can almost be on auto-pilot, when you cycle you wake up your body and mind My wife converted me. I cycled as a kid but I was a devotee driver until about five years ago when my wife took up cycling for her commute. She’d arrive home hot, sweaty but invigorated and I thought ‘I need to get my fitness regime in order too.’ That’s how it began. Families make cycling a challenge. Having our children was also a spur for me to get into better shape and I haven’t looked back. It’s a juggling act to work cycling around a young family, so making it part of my commute was key. That said, I had to work out a safe route because I have…

Cinelli’s brought the geometry of its fixed bikes to a geared road bike The stiffness feels right combined with the purposeful handling Cinelli has two distinct flavours to its road bike geometry – the Grand Tour-inspired Supercorsa on its carbon and high-end steel road machines and the steep aggressive geometry of its fixed gear bikes. In recent years Cinelli’s fixed models have become the most popular brand for fixed gear criterium racing, like the Red Hook series. The company’s now opted to take the geometry of the fixed bikes and bring it to a geared road bike. The Vigorelli has head and seat angles around a degree steeper than your average road bike, 74 degrees for the head-tube and 73.5 degrees for the seat, making for sharp, fast handling that…

Carbon can’t match the spring of a great steel frame, which the Wolfson gives you The Wolfson reminds us of everything that makes a great steel bike great You’d be forgiven for not knowing The Light Blue brand, but it was established back in 1895, and has been under the ownership of the Townsend family since. Historically the brand was deeply associated with performance bikes, but over the last decade or so it has concentrated on producing the Parkside and Chesterton city bikes. These traditional basket-up-front and sit-up-and-beg riding position town cruisers have been hugely popular with students in The Light Blue’s home city of Cambridge. More recently, The Light Blue marque has expanded into a range of classic-inspired road bikes, gravel bikes and the Wolfson, based around the clubman-style…

The Boa dial has become the standard in top-end cycling shoe fastenings. It works by tensioning a super-strong, usually metal or Kevlar, lace/wire that’s routed through a web pattern on the shoe’s upper, the benefit is finer levels of adjustment than Velcro or ratchet-style straps. Shoe designers have also been clever with the placement of the wiring web to create volume-reducing fits like the Fizik’s or Bont’s latest Helix, which threads the Boa lace across the forefoot in the normal way, then underneath and through the sole to create a super-strong 3D tensioning design. Once you have dialled in the fit, it stays that way.…

Unmistakably Italian, Northwave offers riders kit from shoes to glasses. Its cutting-edge style is on show in this Exteme 3 outfit. The jersey The Extreme 3 jersey uses Sensitive Plus fabric, that’s thin enough to see through up close, but still provides UPF50+ protection and feels durable. It stretches in all directions, creating a snug yet flattering fit and feels soft on the skin. Providing structure, the semi-transparent mesh-reinforced fabric side panels and rear pockets allow more defined stretch. The waist and pockets are kept in check by silicone strip-backed elastic at the front, with a thinner, stretchier Lycra gripper on the rear. The sleeves have generous length and raw cut cuffs with a printed silicone strip inside for ideal positioning. In hot weather, it is astonishingly comfortable, maintaining impressive…

A form of compression used specifically on the legs is a pneumatic device, such as RecoveryPump. “It consists of a sleeve that is worn on both legs and a small compressor that applies a high-grade compression for between 20-60 minutes,” explains Brown. One form, External Counter-Pulsation (ECP), has shown impressive results in trials, and been adopted by cycling teams as it’s now available to UK riders through renewtherapy.co.uk. The compression treatment increases blood flow, encourages the release of nitric oxide, reduces lactic acid build up and decreases inflammatory markers in the blood. “ECP treatment definitely felt like it enabled me to recover quicker from periods of hard training,” says Fiona Prew, cyclist with Pro Vision.…

The mountain bike sector is already littered with high-performance e-bikes, there’s even an enduro race series for e-bikes now. What we’re seeing emerge on the road are performance e-bikes such as Focus’s Paralane2, featured in issue 342, and brands like Pinarello, Colnago, Bianchi, Wilier and Orbea all bringing sporty e-bikes to stores. We’re taking a look at three new options: Orbea’s gravel-focused Gain, Giant’s flat bar-equipped FastRoad E+ and British brand Cytronex’s clever add-on kit affixed to Cannondale’s CAAD12. Drag strip star The Cannondale CAAD12 is a brilliant bike, its £2k price tag makes it well worth the money too. For an extra £995 you can have it built with Cytronex’s front wheel e-assist. As you get the original front wheel too, it’s both e-bike and standard bike in one.…

1 ON YOUR KNEES Kneel and place your hands flat on the ground, shoulder width apart with your fingers facing back towards your body. 2 FEEL THE STRETCH Move your weight backwards until you feel a slight stretch in the wrists – try to keep your arms straight and hands flat on the ground. Hold this position for 10 seconds then gently lean forwards and repeat. 3 ADAPT YOUR POSITION If the stretch is uncomfortable, turn your hands inwards slightly.…

L’Etape du Tour began in 1993, giving amateur riders the chance to experience the specatacle and scenery of a stage of the Tour de France. That first event, from Tarbes to Pau in the Pyrenees attracted 1705 entrants, with 1385 riders completing the 190km route. The team behind L’Étape has continued to stage the closed-road sportive on some of France’s toughest climbs, creating the same experience for amateur riders as the pro race. The company runs a number of other sportives around the world, with L’Étape London coming to the capital on September 23. If your interest has been piqued following the reports from our Team Alpecin members, information about the 29th edition for 2019 will be available at letapedutour.com.…

Distance: 57 miles/93km Grade: Difficult. What it lacks in distance it makes up for in altitude gain Download: www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/2093806615 GETTING THERE We flew to Venice Marco Polo airport and from there it’s a two-and-a-half hour drive to Bovec. Alternatively you could fly into Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, though you’d be faced with a similar car transfer to Bovec. WHERE TO STAY We stayed at the Hotel Sanje OB Soci (sanjeobsoci.com), on the outskirts of Bovec. Facilities include a spa and breakfast, but it doesn’t offer lunch or dinner. FOOD AND DRINK Bovec has many options for food and drink, though the best place we ate was just up the road in the village of Log pod Mangartom, at the Mangrt restaurant, on the right-hand side as you head north through it.…

Cycling Plus: After winning the national road race in Northumberland, aged just 22, you join a list of champions that includes Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins. Do you now feel more confident racing at this year’s OVO Energy Tour of Britain? Connor Swift: Yeah, it feels pretty good. After crossing the line I saw the swanny (soigneur) from our team Madison-Genesis and he was over the moon, then I sat down and the emotions just came over me. My girlfriend ran over and gave me a big hug. All my teammates and my mum and dad came over. I got that trophy and had a glance at all the names on it and there are some pretty good guys on there. CP: Which race strategies did you get right, which…

THE YATE, YATE SHOW Adam and Simon Yates have both committed to riding for Australian outfit Mitchelton-Scott for a further two years. The 25 year olds turned pro with the team in 2014, but there had been speculation that teams including Sky were interested in signing them. FAST FASHION Cycling shades and shorts are fashion must-haves, according to articles in The Guardian’s fashion pages in July. Kim Kardashian has been spotted wearing Lycra shorts, while no lesser a style icon than Princess Anne is a fan of Oakley… TOUR STORIES If you enjoy Ned Boulting’s column in this mag, and his cycling commentary, check out his one-man show, Tour de Ned, this autumn. BRAD VIBES Sir Bradley Wiggins says he’s discovered “very sinister” information about the Team Sky jiffy bag…

The first time I properly pedalled a full revolution on an adult bike I was 30 years of age. After being released from prison I bought a bike off eBay, that was actually too big for me, and started riding around my local roads. I’d trained myself to get fit during the 10 years I served for armed robbery. The death of my best friend made me want to turn my back on crime so I started doing circuits in my cell – thousands of press-ups and step-ups - then got on the rowing machine in the gym. I broke the world indoor rowing record – by 13 miles - before I left jail and set my heart on becoming a professional athlete. My success has earned me sponsorship and…

The Columbus Zona-tubed frame is based on classic road bike geometry This is a bike that’s absolutely full of character All-City Cycles does things a little differently to your average bike brand, mixing classic styling and finishing with modern touches to the geometry and frame design. The Mr Pink continues this mantra with a very well-appointed frame with its ring reinforced head-tube with a beautifully polished head badge, sculpted, integrated seat collar and the stamped bottom bracket shell. We like that the frame is appointed with rear mudguard bosses, but the recent upgrade to the classy carbon Whisky fork, over the old tapered, bladed steel unit, omits any mounts so you save some weight over the steel fork but arguably lose versatility. Overall, it’s a fabulous looking frame, but designers…

While no longer made on American soil, the Road Logic is still meticulously put together The steering response is quick without being twitchy on climbs Tom Ritchey is a frame building legend. He’s always been an all-rounder when it comes to cycling disciplines, but made his name with the legendary P series mountain bikes, the P-22 being the most famous. That bike was one of the last artisan-built frames to dominate racing before the might of corporations and carbon took over. The Logic, and its stablemates, are a celebration of those heady ’80s days, and while no longer made in Ritchey’s American homeland, the Road Logic is still meticulously put together, hand-crafted with some serious skill in Taiwan. With details like the forged and machined head-tube, which shaves more than…

CAMPAGNOLO’S REDESIGNED CENTAUR 11-SPEED GROUPSET called time on 10-speed shifting, and took aim at Shimano’s standard-setting 105. Campagnolo has trickled down the mechanical shifting refinement developed for top flight Super Record to this entry-level, European-made offering. With obvious familial aesthetic and functional similarities, Campagnolo says the only difference between Centaur and its loftier siblings is the materials used in its construction. Centaur is a mainly aluminium, rim brake-only groupset with a four-arm crank spider that has separate, rather than combined, bolt circles for each chainring, increasing their rigidity. Chainring options are 50/34 and 52/36. The Ergopower controls have an EPS-style thumb lever that’s much easier to operate then the old right-angled one, and although this limits downshifts to one per actuation, we’ve never found that to be a problem. Three…

ENDURA XTRACT MITT II £19.99 The Xtracts’ well-finished design includes ergonomic gel pads within the microfibre palm, topped with silicone print to enhance comfort and grip, but there is limited ventilation, so they can be warm in hot weather. Finger tabs make for easier removal, a Velcro wrist strap, terry thumb wipe and Lycra back keep them comfortable and practical. GIRO ZERO CS £29.99 These slip-on mitts feature a thin, ventilated palm made of Cool Skin fabric, with a microfibre heel patch for durability. Their four-way stretch back provides compressive comfort, with a reinforced Lycra wrist section, microfibre thumb wipe and fingertip pockets for rapid removal. Excellent quality and grip without bunching. SPECIALIZED GRAIL £25 Appropriately holey, the Grails look understated. The one-piece synthetic leather palm features Specialized’s ventilated Equalizer…

CLOSE YOUR MOUTH AND INHALE through your nose. You should feel your nostrils constricting as the airflow increases, which is what these glasses aim to prevent. The tough, shatterproof Grilamid frame’s arms are vented, flexible and grippy, for security and comfort. The angular frame is shallow and wide, providing rigidity and a firm mount for the lens-retaining nosepiece. A central rubber pad spaces the frame away from your brow. In the case is a bag, spare clear lens, magnetic applicator, and a set of 20 nasal strips with 10 individual wipes. Additional strips are available at £14.99 for a pack of 20. Clean each side of your nose with a wipe, allow to dry, then use the applicator to stick one strip on each side. Their perforated adhesive back is…

Conventional wisdom says that the glutes and the quads are the workhorses within the legs, the knees and ankles are our weakest links and we shave our legs solely for marginal gains. But as the specialists who give the pro riders a leg-up reveal, there’s a whole lot more to perfecting performance than simply having a nice pair of pins. “It’s true that over 65 per cent of the total power applied to the pedals is generated from the bigger muscles,” says Rob Brown, specialist cycling physiotherapist with the Centre for Health & Human Performance (chhp.com). But it’s not just the ones we think. “Sure the glutes are key drivers, but there are also the adductor magnus (the largest groin muscle), the quadriceps and the soleus (one of the calf…

LOOPY FOR LONDON When I’m home from a busy work schedule I like get out on my favourite loop out from south London to the lanes of Kent. There’s a myth that we don’t have any real hills down south but I beg to differ. Church Road and Brasted Hill are almost 20 per cent out of Downe and Westerham respectively! LANE DISCIPLINE There are a lot of single lanes where cars aren’t often anticipating a group of cyclists. I’ve had to perform some swift manoeuvres into hedgerows in the past! LIKE LITENING I ride a Cube Litening, which I’ve upgraded to a Shimano Dura-Ace groupset, Vision Metron 40 wheels, for a bit of free aerodynamics, and a women’s-specific San Marco Glamour saddle. On average I’ll ride for two hours.…

BEFORE LEJOG 24-hour time trial world champ Jasmijn Muller has her sights set on breaking the women’s solo record for Land’s End to John O’Groats. Here are her golden rules… 1 DREAM BIG Fear shouldn’t hold you back from setting out on this kind of challenge. Whether you succeed or not, you’ll have gained masses of self-knowledge and had fun. 2 PREP’S HALF LEJOG JOB Talk to others who have set out on similar challenges about the support needed; be prepared to make mental shifts such as letting go of some control. Train for all conditions; be ready to react and manage changes on the road. 3 GO SHORT FOR LONG HAUL Longer distances test your stamina, equipment, nutrition, comfort and ability to function on little sleep. Shorter solo training…

ARGOS WANTS AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS CYCLING PROVIDES WHEN IT COMES to choosing your next road bike, catalogue shop Argos probably isn’t on your list of retailers. But while experienced cyclists and enthusiastic new riders look elsewhere for new bikes, a huge number of people do head into one of Argos’ 800-plus stores, flick through the catalogue, pick a bike, note down a seven-digit number with a little pencil and then wait until their bike magically appears at Collection Point B… And that’s where Cycling Plus and BikeRadar come in. Last year we were approached by three60brands – who has a history of creating successful brand partnerships, including a number of highly recognisable cycling names already available on the high street – to partner with…

During the Tour de France, I met the most spectacular Old Boy On A Bike. Down the years, I’ve met Old Boys On Bikes, but this particular encounter was different. I was riding my folding bike through the Isère valley towards the foot of the climb to La Rosière. It was another beautiful morning in an endless stream of perfect July days. The grass was thick and green on either side of a river whose turbulent cobalt waters looked inviting, even at that early hour. Ahead a smooth road wound gently up through a series of tiny villages, whose church towers sat neatly in the midst of a cluster of white rendered houses. Then I saw him. Standing at the side of the road, dressed in a shirt and tie,…

The OVO Energy Tour of Britain turns 15 this year, and it promises to be one of the most interesting and hard to gauge since its resurrection in 2004. For 2018, we see the return of the summit finish, and for the first time a peculiar uphill team time trial in the Lake District. Over the next eight pages the race’s route director, Andy Hawes, delves into the course he and his team at race organiser SweetSpot have tirelessly stitched together over the past year… 01 Pembrey Country Park — Newport Sunday 2 September – 174.8km The 15th edition of the modern OVO Energy Tour of Britain, a race that shows off our green and glorious land through the lens of road racing, begins with a stage that celebrates, erm……

Giant has done its usual, thoughtful job in setting up and kitting out its Contend 1, the least expensive in Giant’s extensive road bike range. The compact aluminium frame is paired with a carbon-bladed fork, the geometry isn’t too extreme in any direction – shortish wheelbase for sharp, agile handling, tallish head-tube for a slightly relaxed riding position – and the sub-10kg weight is decent for the price. Wheels and tyres are at the upper end of what you’d expect for around £750 and the handling, aided by Giant’s tapered OverDrive steerer, is never less than precise. The wide-range nine-speed Shimano Sora gearing covers all bases, the 34-tooth sprocket proving a real boon on steeper slopes, the 50x11 letting you crank it up to the max with no frame flex…

1 WHAT IS IT? Topeak’s Ratchet Rocket Lite NTX is a compact, multi-purpose torque wrench, ideal for roadside emergencies, travel or last-minute event preparation. 2 CONTENTS The Velcro-fastened folding nylon case holds the 93mm long wrench, an extension bar, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8mm hex bits, T10 and T25 Torx bits and a Phillips bit. There are 4, 5 and 6Nm torque bits, a pair of tyre levers and a pocket for repair patches. 3 DOUBLE HEADER As well as its reversible ratchet head, the wrench has a magnetised hex socket within the handle that accepts every other part, creating a longer tool for fiddly access, and you can use the extension bar to turn it. 4 PRACTICALITY With every bit you could reasonably need for most…

For the real cyclist, cargo doesn’t need a car. I’ve shifted some comedy loads by bike in my time. A fridge, a hat stand, a pool table, a life-size metal reindeer… Car-free cycle paths link my home to useful locations like supermarkets, builder’s merchants, council tips and cemeteries, so all bases are covered. Such as Homebase, which we plied during its closing down sale. Biking that bargain 12ft curtain pole home felt like jousting. When I moved to York, getting a bike trailer proved a revelation. It’s not the sort of child-/dog-pod pulled by eco couples, or the homemade wooden crate favoured by men with long grey ponytails. Mine’s a square, practical, two-wheeled black thing you could imagine following a 2CV in 1970s Provence, piled with turnips. It folds too,…

While the ride position is fairly aggressive it remains a nice place to be Genesis has really nailed down what makes a great, sporty sportive bike The Equilibrium is a bike we’ve always liked. Initially it was a Reynolds 725-framed classic road machine, then Genesis switched to its own Mjölnir steel tubeset, but now for 2018 the company has returned to using Reynolds mid-level 725 tubing. What hasn’t changed is the classic British road bike geometry, 72-degree head and 73-degree seat angles are all normal stuff, and the relatively low stack and long reach [vertical and horizontal distances from the bottom bracket to the top of the head-tube respectively] make the 20 a fairly racy proposition. While the ride position is quite aggressive and the Reynolds 725 frame focuses on…

The Dolan ADX majors on value when it comes to the competition The Dolan rides just how a great sportive bike should There is a little step up in price to the ADX compared to its steel rivals on test here. Some of that is because of the material change to 3AL-2.5V titanium tubing, but also because we couldn’t resist playing with Dolan’s online bike speccing tools and upgrading to Mavic’s Cosmic disc wheels over the standard Aksiums. Without this upgrade the bike would have been £2299.99 with Shimano Ultegra or £1999.99 with Shimano 105. Whichever way you cut it, the Dolan ADX majors on value when it comes to the competition. It’s always been possible to get titanium for around £2000, but usually you’re looking at a frame only.…

Wind tunnel tests by bike manufacturers have shown a quantifiable aerodynamic benefit to shaving your legs, but reducing drag isn’t the only plus point. “If you’re unshaven, research suggests, the airflow around your legs is disrupted,” says Dr Victor Thompson, clinical sports psychologist and advisor to NiveaMen. “The gains to be had by shaving are marginal, but they are gains. Shaven legs are more comfortable to massage and easier to treat in the event of wounds too. However, shaving can also play a part in your psychological approach to a race or major event. While you’re shaving it can help with mental focus – you think about your legs as you shave them, aiding your preparation and helping build confidence in your readiness to perform.”…

BEST DEAD END GREAT DUN FELL, PENNINES One person’s dead end is another person’s summit finish, that’s how I like to think of roads that finish on top of a hill. Britain is littered with amazing climbs that wind up to a full stop in the sky, but sitting above all of them is the imperious Great Dun Fell. Compromising 7.5km of climbing and multiple stretches of 20 per cent slope, this is a true beast, and justifiably named by many as the greatest climb in England. From the plains below you can, on a clear day, see the white golf ball-esque radar sitting on top of the fell and it’s your task to reach it. I say on a clear day, because to make the most of the wonders…

WHAT ARE THEY? The five metacarpal bones, one for each finger, articulate and project from the top row of the carpal bones to form the hand/palm. The distal forearm bones (ulnar and radius) articulate with a complex of eight bones (carpal bones), to form the wrist. HOW DOES IT WORK? During cycling the main roles of your hands are to grip the bar and, along with the wrists, support your upper body. Depending on the riding you’re doing they may be needed to change gears or grab bidons. WHAT GOES WRONG? Spending time with your hands in the same position and/or excessive loading through your upper body can cause overuse injuries of the joints, tissues and nerves around the wrist, primarily due to compression and hyperextension of the wrist. Compression…

1 CLEAN UP One of the biggest mistakes is to put new pads into a system where the rotors are dirty with oils or other contaminants. Use disc brake cleaner and a clean rag to remove any residue. 2 CHECK NEW PADS Use clean, undamaged pads, as anything else won’t bed in. Used pads will have been through braking cycles, and while they will work, you won’t get the full benefit. 3 SAFE PLACE With your new pads fitted to your calliper, find a long, gradual descent on a smooth surface. Something that allows a 20mph roll with enough space and safety to perform some hard stops is ideal. 4 DRAG AND STOP Everyone has their own method of getting new pads to bite. We like to build up speed,…

On July 8, Team Alpecin, along with 13,000 other riders, took on L’Étape du Tour – 159km and 4000m of climbing on the route of stage 10 of the Tour de France between Annecy and Le Grand-Bornand. Here’s what Cycling Plus readers Les Pegler, Murray Cox and Laura Cook learned… Team Alpecin really has provided a ‘pro’ experience Murray: “Alpecin and Cycling Plus promised that riders would look, train and ride like a pro – riding the course of a stage of the Tour de France with throngs of people lining the route is about as pro as it will get for me!” Les: “When I arrived in France my bike was in bits, the rear derailleur was off and I needed to replace my chain. Then we were told…

Journey to Slovenia’s Julian Alps and you’ll be rewarded with some of the finest mountain roads in Europe “Eoin, tell me, what are your needs?” enquired Klemen. Sweat pouring down his pained face, and breathing heavy, Eoin’s reply is quick and to the point, if a little beyond Klemen’s capabilities. “A helicopter and a hospital.” Klemen is Klemen Cepirlo, our driver, mechanic, soigneur and local sage all rolled into one compact Slovenian package. Eoin is Eoin McCoy, an Irishman living in Poland’s Krakow for the past 18 years and one of several guests today of cycling holiday outfit Podia – also based in Krakow – on this, its first ‘Roadventure’ trip to Slovenia’s Julian Alps. Eoin’s anguish is understandable. We’re on the fourth and final day of an increasingly mountain-packed…

Innovation is the name of the game in stage racing in 2018: the public demands entertainment and it’s the job of race organisers – and the riders – to satisfy them. So, new for the OVO Energy Tour of Britain is the uphill team time trial in the Lake District. It’s a tightrope walk between innovation and gimmick, but race director Mick Bennett and co look to have negotiated it well, given the climb in question, Whinlatter, is far from the region’s most severe tests. We think it will be a highlight of a race that also includes a summit finish on Whinlatter’s other ascent – a route devised by Andy Hawes, who talks us through the race from page nine. Elsewhere, we discuss the big talking points of a…