Indice dei contenuti per March 2016 in Cycling Plus

SPECIFICATION Weight 11.55kg (56cm) Frame 6061 alloy Fork UD carbon fibre Gears Shimano Sora 50/34, 11-32 Brakes Shimano BR-R617 cable discs Wheels One23 Hooklow alloy disc Finishing kit One23 bar, stem and seatpost, Forme Saddle, 28mm Kenda Kwest tyres The Hooklow 2 has had a bit of an overhaul this year, turning it into quite a compelling proposition. Its hydroformed aluminium frame has mudguard and pannier mounts and, like the new carbon fork, can accommodate 40mm tyres, but even with the 28mm rubber it came with it neutralises road buzz well. Its weight forces you to climb steadily rather than sharply, but get over the top and it’s a formidable descender, its excellent riding position, positive steering and cable disc brakes combining to good effect. Hit the dirt, and it…

PINOT GREEDIO As a Strava user you’d be happy taking just one KOM in 2015, given how hard they are to get these days. Not so FDJ pro Thibaut Pinot, who helped himself to 417 of them! WORLD BEATER The round-the-world record looks to have gone again, this time to New Zealander and former Olympic speed skater Andrew Nicholson. If ratified, his time of 123 days eclipsed Brit Alan Bate by two days. KURT KINETIC Tommy Godwin’s long-standing year mileage record (75,065) has been broken. American Kurt Searvogel used a mix of triathlon race bikes and recumbents, and set the record despite not starting until 10 January. OH-LEG Are pro cycling and Oleg Tinkov about to go their separate ways? The team owner has been left frustrated by nobody listening…

The term ‘urban bike’ gets applied to everything from strippeddown fixies to cyclo-cross machines, but the smart money goes on more practical fare. The £527 Starke from German brand Silverback comes ready to roll with disc brakes, and (the clue is in the name) a USB charger for your trendy urban devices, powered by the dynamo hub. It’s all hanging from a stylish hydroformed alloy frame which eschews twin triangles in favour of an eye-catching single beam design.…

SPECIFICATION Weight 9.35kg (56cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano 105 50/34, 11-32 Brakes Shimano BR-RS505 Wheels Fulcrum Racing Seventy Seven disc Finishing kit CPS Pro stem, bar and seatpost, Cube saddle, 25mm Continental Grand Sport Race tyres Germany’s Cube, best known for its wellpriced bikes that are still sold through real bricks-andmortar shops, has been a little quiet of late. Its range-topping Litenings were still impressive, but elsewhere things were starting to look a little staid. Well, Cube has got off to a flyer this year, redesigning its everpopular Agree road bike and debuting the disc-specific Attain. Its frame follows all the latest trends: an oversized head-tube and down-tube, beefy bottom bracket shell and chainstays, a narrowing top-tube and slender seatstays joining the seat-tube well below the level of…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.5kg (58cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Shimano BR-R785 Wheels Mavic Aksium disc Finishing kit Ritchey comp alloy stem, compact drop bar and seatpost, Fizik Aliante Kium saddle, 25mm Continental Ultra Sport tyres Wiggle’s reinvention of its recently acquired Eastway brand continues apace. The D1 is the top of the three-bike Zener range, each of which has the same frame, and which is designed for endurance riding and sportives. In typical Wiggle style it looks to offer a lot of bike for your dosh too – not only do you get full Ultegra, it also comes with the groupset’s BR-R785 hydraulic disc brakes and some high-quality Ritchey finishing kit. The Zener’s frameset follows the same clean design cues as the recent test-winning Emitter,…

HIGHS Fit, comfort and looks are all spot on LOWS The ‘rope’-style laces tend to slip a little LACES LOOKED LIKED THEY WERE going the way of down-tube shifters in the pro ranks until Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France in Bont lace-ups – even if his laces were hidden under an aero flap. More recently Giro joined the lace revival with its Empire shoes and their lightweight SLX variant. Bontrager’s Classiques are a little different from the competition. Unlike the Bonts or the Giros, these aren’t aimed at the racing cyclist. Bontrager rates the outsole as 12 on its 14-point stiffness scale (what’s wrong with 10?), building in a little compliance to reduce road buzz, as these are made more for endurance riding. The 12k woven carbon construction…

HIGHS Smart tech; reactive rear light LOWS No audible warnings (without Edge); primitive threat assessment; price ACCORDING TO GPS giant Garmin, being hit from behind is ‘the leading cause of cycling fatalities’ (in the US at least) and to address this it has released the Varia Rearview Radar. The Varia system consists of a 63g rear light with a built-in radar detector and, if you buy the complete bundle, a 29g head unit that gives you a visual indication of how many vehicles are approaching from behind, and some sense of how quickly they’re moving. (With mounts, the system weighs around 130g.) Individual cars (or buses, bikes etc) are shown as lights moving up the screen’s central strip, while the threat level LED switches from green to amber when something’s…

We like winter boots for their warmth and. These size 45 Mavics weigh 796g, and their large opening means they’re simple to put on. A single Atop dial, which is adjustable even with gloves on, tightens the shoe evenly, then the waterproof zip and wraparound Gore-Tex upper seals them shut. The hardwearing forefoot is smooth with a rubberised toe box, and rain is easily shed, the Ortholite insoles and overall fit are great, and they’re toasty warm but still breathe. Their composite fibreglass and nylon sole is stiff enough for hard winter riding and good heel and toe bumpers make walking easy too. Reflective stripes aid visibility, and although they can’t stop water running down your legs, nothing penetrates these shoes. CASTELLI 10M LUNG WARMER £28 This is a strange-looking…

SPECIFICATION Weight 6.22kg (58cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Wheels Bontrager Aeolus 3 D3 Gears Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Bontrager Speed Stop, direct mount Finishing kit Bontrager carbon stem, bar and seatpost, Bontrager Paradigm saddle, 23mm Bontrager R4 Hard-Case Lite tyres THE THIRD IN Trek’s trio of anagrammatical road bikes (where’s the ‘Moaned’?), along with the comfort-orientated Domane and the now heavily aero-influenced Madone, the American outfit’s Émonda majors on trimming the excess fat to make it ideal for big climbs. Trek claims that a painted 56cm frame weighs a scant 690g, which isn’t the lightest production frame – it’s 10g heavier than Merida’s Scultura – but in its most exotic build it was claimed to be the world’s lightest production bike when launched. Ours isn’t quite at the…

HIGHS Light, smooth bargain with cunning cleats LOWS Alloy version is even cheaper Weight 262g This RSP-branded pedal is the best Look Keo-style copy we’ve seen. It uses a HiPac carbon composite body to keep weight low and to create a secure, damped feel underfoot. A laser-etched stainless steel tread plate increases longevity on the composite body and there’s an alloy version for £31.99. Both spin smoothly from new on a mix of roller and ball bearings and have so far shrugged off the effects of winter riding. Tension can be adjusted through a wide range and the easy engagement/release rivals the feel of Look’s own pedals. The Keo-style cleats use a unique two-piece design to guarantee accurate positioning. SHIMANO R540 LIGHT ACTION £39.99 Weight 332g As you might have…

HIGHS Maximum support and reliability LOWS Limited float and firmer release Weight 266g Shimano’s Ultegra is a benchmark for performance and durability that’s often almost identical to Dura-Ace but at a much cheaper price – though when it comes to the pedals there are some subtle differences. The carbon composite body with steel wear plate looks similar but is actually slightly taller and heavier than Dura-Ace. It’s still low-profile compared to other designs, which gives the wide-body, wide-cleat combo an even more secure feel. Three cleats give you a choice of six degrees, two degrees or fixed float, and the low, wide cleats also feel stable when you’re walking. There’s a version with a 4mm longer axle if you prefer a wider stance. Smooth bearings give a natural and consistent…

HIGHS Lightest on test, simple, consistent, now tougher LOWS Limitations of leftonly Weight +30g Left/right: No Range 13 road models DIY battery swap Yes Battery/life CR2032/200hrs claimed It’s because of Stages that we’re here doing this group test. The democratisation of these devices was kick-started by the headline-grabbing £599 Stages 105 crank in 2013. Before that, all power meters were well over £1000 but now there are many more affordable options. Truly, Stages gave power to the people. When it launched, Stages was unique for being a left-side-only crank based meter. This design makes it more affordable, less complex and easier to fit. Power is measured with strain gauges factory-bonded to a left crank, doubled and then sent to a head unit via ANT+ to a computer or Bluetooth to…

HIGHS Accuracy, consistency LOWS TA rings, chunky looks Weight 831g (689g cranks, 142g rings) Left/right Yes Range 110BCD, 170-175mm cranks DIY battery swap Yes Battery/life LR44/claimed 500hrs Verve is the newest name to the power meter market and came in swinging, claiming the Infocrank is the most accurate meter available, with twice the fidelity of an SRM. It’s a true left/right system, with four strain gauges in each crank arm. A key difference is that these cranks were designed from the outset to be a power meter, so the strain gauges are placed in the precise load path to avoid data corruption by twisting forces. Verve claims its data is accurate to within 1% across the full measurement range of 0-3000w, and says there’s zero temperature drift or need to…

GET POSITIONED When descending hold your bars on the drops, which is important for your centre of gravity – it’s easier to handle your bike from down there. Keep the weight on your outside foot when cornering. Your body will naturally go into the corner, so your outside foot keeps that balance. At the same time, push down with your inside hand as this will help pull your front wheel around the corner. LOOK AHEAD Where you look on the road is crucial if you want to descend fast. You have to look where you want to go, not immediately in front. While you want to be aware of hazards, if you look at the hole in the middle of the corner you’ll ride straight through it, but look ahead…

BASE QUALITIES 1 “The wicking qualities of compression wear help keep muscles warm while removing sweat from the skin,” explains Neal Goldman, director of apparel at Under Armour UK. But there’s limited evidence of performance enhancement, says Richard Davison, exercise physiologist at the University of Portsmouth. “Athletes report feeling it aids their performance and this psychological reaction seems to be as key to its ‘success’ as anything else.” POWERS OF RECOVERY 2 Post-ride may be where cyclists notice the greatest effect from compression wear. Research on 40km time-trial cyclists showed that wearing compression garments in the period after exercise sped up recovery. “But these are under clinical conditions and further studies into deep-muscle sports massage show that it takes a lot to have the ‘flushing’ effect,” warns Davison. Wearing your…

SIZE IS IMPORTANT When you buy a new chain it will almost certainly be longer than required, as the manufacturer has to account for all possibilities. This means you’ll have to break the chain down to length. Leave it too long and you risk sloppy shifting and a dropped chain, but go too short and the consequences can be worse: you won’t be able to shift into certain gears and the extra tension trying to do so could damage your components. GO BIG With no chain on your bike, shift the front derailleur so it sits over the largest chainring. You won’t need the rear derailleur at this point, so shift it onto the smallest cog at the back so it’s out of the way. Thread your new chain through…

If you need to transfer money overseas, Smart Currency Exchange can help you maximise your savings There are a number of reasons why people transfer currency overseas, from buying or selling a property, paying regular mortgage or living payments, or sending funds to family and friends. Whatever your requirements, using a bank to make these payments could mean you lose money thanks to uncompetitive exchange rates and high fees on every transfer. A currency specialist, on the other hand, can maximise your savings. Leading experts Smart Currency Exchange offer their top tips to ensure you make the most of your international money transfers: 1Do your research Instead of using your bank, a currency specialist such as Smart Currency Exchange can offer exchange rates that save you up to 4% on…

Cycling coach Ben Wilson’s top 4 Mamil pitfalls – and how to avoid them 01 NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW TO RIDE IN A GROUP There’s more to it than being able to sit on a wheel and scream every time you see a pothole. It’s about maintaining a steady effort on a climb, knowing how to ride through and off and how to position yourself in a crosswind. 02 NOT LEARNING BASIC MECHANICS A flat tyre is frustrating for everyone, not just the ‘puncturee’. A tube change really shouldn’t take more than five minutes, and no one wants to be standing around while someone fluffs a tube change – especially in the winter. You won’t get any sympathy if you can’t change a tube or if the spare you pull out…

GETTING THERE Regular trains to and from Glasgow Central connect with ferries at Ardrossan Harbour (for Brodick) and Wemyss Bay (for Rothesay) – see scotrail.co.uk. A ‘Five Ferries Tour’ ticket covering our route and valid for three days costs £17.75 for a rider and bike. The first ferry to Brodick (with train connection from Glasgow) leaves at 9.45am in the winter, or 8.20am in the summer. with the last ferry from Rothesay with a train connection back to Glasgow leaves for Gourock at 7pm (the Wemyss Bay ferry port is closed until April). calmac.co.uk FOOD AND DRINK The best place for lunch is the Marina Restaurant in Portavadie which offers a good menu of local meat and seafood dishes, plus a great selection of desserts. There’s an outdoor terrace overlooking…

STOP FOR CAKES: Aside from the café at the top of Box Hill, Great Bookham also has a good cycling cafe – Domestique. JOIN THE CLUB: London Dynamo is a performance-based club, whether sportives or racing. It’s the club’s core and might put off certain types of cyclists. It’s good to be part of a club where people are competing at a high amateur level. GET SPARE TUBES: Our membership is drawn from a wide area, so we use a bunch of shops. I’d use the Giant store in Twickenham (gianttwickenham. co.uk), others Sigma Sport in Hampton Wick (sigmasport.co.uk).…

£1399.99 SPECIFICATION WEIGHT 12.1kg (Small) FRAME Columbus Cromor doublebutted steel FORK 4130 chromoly steel GEARS SRAM Apex 10-speed, X5 front mech, X7 rear, 42/28, 11-36 BRAKES TRP Spyre mechanical disc WHEELS DT Swiss X1900 FINISHING KIT Bombtrack alloy bar, stem and seatpost, Team saddle, 29x2.1in WTB Nano tyres It’s ready for anything A stout steel frame and fat rubber (by Cycling Plus’s standards at least) mean the Beyond will tackle virtually any terrain. Upright geometry focuses on comfort rather than velocity, while disc brakes offer consistent stopping power whatever the conditions. It’s not meant for hitting jumps at a trail centre, but the Beyond will happily take on everything from the open road to rolling singletrack, helped along by gearing that will get you up most inclines. It dares to…

1 Hard cell? At just £49.99, this Fabric saddle almost sells itself, and is very well finished for such a relatively cheap seat. 2 Closed cell ? The clue’s in the name. Using the same style of cushioning found in fancy running shoes, the saddle’s air-filled design uses multiple closed Hex-Air cells for plenty of plush all-over seated comfort. 3 Blood cell? If you’re a racer, this isn’t the saddle you’re looking for, but for commuters and those with an off-road wanderlust, the Cell is ideal. The extra bump cushioning and vibration isolation keeps your blood cells flowing and helps prevent saddle numbness. 4 Division cell The nylon flex shell adds extra give to the saddle, and at 155mm wide it favours a more upright riding position. With all that…

Be safe, be seen, they used to say. Well, there are no excuses now, as Met’s new £189.99 Sine Thesis comes with reflective patches on the helmet and straps, a water-resistant LED that clips on the rear retention dial – and luminescent details (a cycling first, says Met) for even more night-time visibility. Gel pads and large vents should keep your head cool, too. ON THE RADAR BIKE TECH OF THE NEAR FUTURE QUICK-CHANGE ARTIST Endorsed by Andy Schleck, CTRL ONE glasses use liquid crystal to change between lens tints in a claimed 0.1 seconds. There’s a threemonth waiting list for the $200 glasses, which are handmade in the USA. INFINITY AND BEYOND We’ve seen some bonkerslooking saddles, but the Infinity N-Series looks the most extreme yet. The unique saddles…

Most cycle exhibitions are the same-old: an identity parade of rusty ancient ironwork, ending on a cheap road bike circa 1985. Much like the contents of my garage, in fact. But the one running at London’s Design Museum until June is different. Its walls are crammed with sleek, hi-tech modern bikes. It’s like you’ve stumbled into a pricey hipster cafe that has fixies as decor. There’s Brad’s one-hour-record breaker, Froome’s Tour winner, and any number of alluring road, adrenaline and commuting machines. If you can’t pass a bike shop without nipping in for a look round – and then buying a lottery ticket – you’ll love this. But what interested me most wasn’t the Bikes of the Future made of wood and air, or the third Brompton made, or the…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.3kg (57cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra, 50/34 RS500 chainset, 11-28 Brakes Reparto Corse Wheels Shimano RS10 Finishing kit Reparto Corse stem, compact drop bar and alloy seatpost, San Marco Era Saddle, 25mm Vittoria Pro Slick tyres Unlike the retro L’Eroica and the super-exotic Specialissima we look at on page 119, the Intrepida forgoes Bianchi’s recognisable ‘celeste’ paintjob for a bold yet understated battleshipgrey and green colour combo. We feel it’s a change for the worse, but fortunately a version in Celeste and black is also available. Phew. The Intrepida sits within Bianchi’s endurance range, but it’s far from being your typical longdistance cruiser. Yes, it’s 35mm taller at the head-tube than the race-orientated Specialissima, but the Intrepida’s top-tube is actually 5mm longer. So it’s a…

SPECIFICATION Weight 7.9kg (XL) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Campagnolo Athena 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Campagnolo Athena Wheels Campagnolo Zonda Finishing kit Wilier by FSA stem, bar and seatpost, Selle Italia X1 saddle, 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro Slick tyres Wilier seems determined to confuse us with the naming policy of its new bikes. The standard GTR is in fact the former Gran Turismo, while the GTR Team and SL are both new bikes with allnew frames. Clear? Thought so. The SL is the racier of the two, with the GTR Team we’re testing having more of an endurance bias. It flies the flag for Italy, being the only bike here to break Shimano’s hegemony, coming with Campagnolo’s Athena groupset and Zonda wheels. Our experience of previous Wilier endurance bikes is that they…

HIGHS Excellent, affordable allweather brake control. LOWS Lever shape not universally popular AS SOON AS Shimano 105 inherited the equally smooth and precise 11-speed gearing from its Ultegra brother we were eagerly waiting for the more affordable groupset to get hydraulic disc brakes. They’ve arrived, but aren’t necessarily the no-brainer bargain we’d been hoping for. Compared to Ultegra R685 STI levers the 505s are longer, lower and more like Shimano’s nonhydraulic levers, with a familiar fit in the crook of your thumb and palm. But the more accessible bleed port – a good thing – creates a very obvious square-edged bulge where the base of your palm curves around. At this point your hand shape and size becomes crucial in whether these are the brakes for you. Some of our…

HIGHS Fit, finish and construction all hit the right spot LOWS You can find lighter lids at this price SPECIALIZED’S LATEST HELMET IS ANOTHER statement of intent from a company that has made aerodynamics its predominant design factor. After all, what other brand has gone to the extent of building its own wind tunnel on the doorstep of its HQ? But the Airnet also shows the influence of retro headgear as well as aerodynamics – even the name is a play on ‘hairnet’, the made-ofleather precursor to the modern bicycle helmet. Specialized has taken its ultra-aerodynamic S-Works Evade helmet as the template for the Airnet, which is most noticeable in the rear exhaust ports, though the Airnet’s low-volume body is very rounded. One of Specialized’s lead aerodynamicists Chris Yu told…

HIGHS Smile-inducing ride experience LOWS Not enough summer expeditions OUT OF THE BOX WEIGHT 8.51kg (58cm, no pedals) FRAME Carbon FORK Carbon GEARS Shimano 105, 50/34 chainrings, 12-30t cassette, FSA Gossamer BB30A chainset BRAKES Shimano 105 WHEELS Shimano RS11 FINISHING KIT Cannondale C3 bar, stem and seatpost, Prologo Kappa Evo saddle, 25mm Schwalbe Lugano S 25c tyres AS EVER, I’M still pretty much smitten with Cannondale’s Synapse Carbon 5. Cycling Plus’s 2014 Bike of the Year is still going as strongly as ever, but sadly I’ve had very little time to ride it recently now that testing is well underway for the 2016 Bike of the Year test. Recent changes I have made include the addition of Cannondale’s own Save carbon seatpost. The 20mm of fore-andaft movement has added an…

HIGHS Smoothly stable, easy action reliability LOWS Not as affordable as copies Weight 274g Being the most copied design here means Look’s own Keo pedals are under serious pricing pressure, but the action is noticeably smoother and more consistent than most of the lower-priced Keocompatible pedals on test. They also have a noticeably softer entry and exit action compared with Shimano SPD-SL. Tension can be adjusted through a wide range, but it’s still on the light rather than tight side, and though the broad contact area gives a relatively stable platform for Look, it’s not quite as as solid as either Shimano or Time. The patterned grey tread surface of the Classic’s ‘bi-injected’ composite body makes it look ‘commutery’ but it gives a less clattery feel underfoot than cheaper metal…

HIGHS Accurate, consistent, fits any bike LOWS Obvious limitations of wheel choice Weight 320g (wheelset 1640g) Left/right: No Range: Four models DIY battery swap: Yes Battery/life: CR2032/months Back when the only other choice was an SRM that required a mortgage, the early PowerTap hubs earned a big following because you could build a basic rear training wheel for a third of the price of the German cranks. That’s still the case now – a rear wheel on a G3 hub costs £699 and a wheelset £799 – though there are now many more affordable meters to rival it. As well as cheap training wheels, PowerTap offers complete race wheelsets including exotic Enve rims. We started this test with a G3 hub in a 45mm carbon clincher wheelset but it started…

HIGHS Easiest to transfer, value LOWS Weight, cornering clearance, some sketchy data, no left-only option Weight 429g Left/right measurement Yes Range 1 model DIY battery swap Yes Battery/life AAA /80-100 hours The P1 pedals came to market with one big trump card – transferability. With no pods and no torque requirement the P1s are as easy to fit as any other pedals so are easy to swap between bikes. Unlike the Garmin V2, the P1s also fit every crank. There are some downsides, though, and the first is immediately apparent: the P1s are very chunky. At 429g for the pair, they add 200g compared to most good pedals and they reduce ground clearance. While that’s only of concern to racers, the fact that the edge of the battery cover is…

HIGHS Transferability, light, robust, extra analysis LOWS Not the best consistency and accuracy, dictates Look cleats Weight 363g Left/right Yes Range Dual or single sided DIY battery swap Yes Battery/life CR2032/claimed 175hrs The Vector was the world’s first power meter pedal but it wasn’t perfect. For the revised version Garmin has added lots more analysis and changed the pods, which proved very robust. Transferring between bikes isn’t as quick as with the PowerTap P1s, but still takes only a few minutes. As well as having to mount the pods, you also need to torque the pedals correctly to 40Nm. That’s higher than normal and you can’t afford to get it wrong, as the Vectors will read incorrectly if not tightened to spec. Each pod takes a CR2032 battery. The Vector…

WHY GO GLUTEN FREE? “The most likely reason why cycling teams adopt ‘glutenfree’ diets during the race season is that it helps to avoid issues with the gut during races – especially for cyclists who have sensitivities or wheat allergy,” says Dalgleish. The foods that contain gluten also contain a type of fermentable carb called a fructan, which may cause gut distress.” IT’S FOR SOME – NOT ALL “Riders with coeliac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity or wheat allergy will likely be on a permanent glutenfree diet, but it may benefit others to reduce fibre in their diet,” says Dalgleish. There’s little evidence that going gluten free directly benefits performance – a recent study on 13 recreational cyclists in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal showed it had…

Last August, a few months into this exercise, I received a text from my brother David. “I’ve just realised something,” he wrote. “What you’re basically saying is that I’m middle aged.” Frankly I was surprised it had taken him so long to notice. To be fair, at 35 maybe he had a point, but even if he did still need a few more miles on the clock to truly fit the middle-aged mould, he was prime Mamil fodder in many other ways. A competitive nature? Disposable income? The will (but not always the application) to get in shape? David scored three out of three. That was in August. Now, a full eight months into my task, I’m happy to say David is well on his way to being a fully…

We knew we wanted to strive for something this year, we just didn’t know what. So we left it up to you to make our minds up for us – with a jersey from team sponsor Cannondale on offer for the winning ideas. We needed three events for our three volunteers: Reuben Bakker-Dyos, our videographer and sometimes beardy cover model; Adrian Miles, Cycling Plus’s ad man; and myself, the one who writes all the good bits in this mag… Turns out you’re a pretty sadistic bunch too. Quickly discarded ideas included us having a crack at the Transcontinental, the non-stop race that this year goes from Geraardsbergen in Belgian Classics country to Gallipoli in Turkey. Yeah, right! I spoke to last year’s winner, Josh Ibbett, in issue 308, and as…

WHY CHILDREN SHOULD BE NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD COME TOUR TIME... Spent too much time with the family over the festive period? Or, still worse, spent too much time with other people’s families? And if so, were there children involved? I thought so. God bless them, and everything, but kids can be a bit stunted, if we’re honest. Don’t get me wrong. Children are occasionally inspiring company. But often they’re not. If research were carried out, then it would most likely show levels of parental pride dipping to an annual low after the first weekend of July, only recovering some three weeks later, coinciding with the passage of the Tour de France. There must be reasons for this. The tendency for over-eager questioning about matters of a complexity quite out…

NEAREST STATION Foxfield (request stop) www.nationalrail.co.uk FOOD, DRINK & ACCOMMODATION We enjoyed excellent food at Seathwaite’s Newfield Inn newfieldinn.co.uk. Broughton-in-Furness has a large number of pubs including the Manor Arms manorarmsthesquare.co.uk. The Drunken Duck drunkenduckinn. co.uk near Ambleside has an excellent reputation, and Chesters By The River is a posh riverside cafe chestersbytheriver.co.uk. We stayed at Broughton’s great value Manor Arms, and there are other options in Broughton-in-Furness, Coniston and Ambleside. BIKE SHOPS Ambleside’s Biketreks bike-treks.co.uk and Wheelbase in Staveley both open seven days a week. Wheelbase has free bike wash, showers and changing rooms wheelbase.co.uk. TOURIST INFO For more information visit golakes.co.uk…

NEAREST STATION Mossley West or Antrim www.translink.co.uk FOOD, DRINK & ACCOMMODATION Various shops, takeaways and cafes in Doagh and Ballyclare, plus shops and pubs in Carncastle, Glenarm, Carnlough and Buckna. There are all sorts of stopover options locally, or stay in Belfast for a more metropolitan feel. BIKE SHOPS There are no bike shops en route, but you have no excuse for not leaving with enough spares if you set off from Chain Reaction’s HQ with its blingloaded retail shop. There are full workshop facilities there too. chainreactioncycles.com TOURIST INFO discovernorthernireland.com…

BIKE AND KIT TESTS Specialized and Giant battle it out (p28), I look at why you should want Fabric’s new Cell saddle (p34), and test the cycle-friendly credentials of six urban jackets (p86). Robin Wilmott, technical writer BIKE AND KIT TESTS Can you take a dropbarred bike anywhere? – Bombtrack’s Beyond (p24) thinks so. I also put a pair of mini GPS systems to the test (p82) and try Garmin’s intriguing Radar (P88). Matthew Allen, technical writer BIKE TESTS Cannondale’s new ‘Lefty’ Slate leads the way (p20), before six new-for-2016 bikes fight for New Year’s honours (p48) and a unique Bianchi vs Bianchi, new vs retro challenge (p125). Warren Rossiter, technical editor RATINGS EXPLAINED EXCEPTIONAL A genuine class leader VERY GOOD One of the best you can buy GOOD It’ll…

My mates had to work hard to convince me about cycling “Cycling? Seems boring if you ask me.” That used to be my reaction when friends suggested I give it a go. A couple of mates were into it and they’d try to rope me in. It was summer of 2012 when I changed my mind. I was thinking what I could do to tick over during the summer. As a footballer you don’t want to put on any bodyweight after the season is over. So I bought a bike, a £1500 Wilier, and I’ve not looked back. Summer is where I do the big rides I’ll be doing rides up to 80 miles then but during the season, especially with the intensity of the Premier League, I’ve got to…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.85kg (L) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Tiagra 50/34, 11-32 Brakes Tektro Lyra cable discs Wheels Weinmann XC180 disc Finishing kit Race One alloy stem, bar and seatpost, Selle Italia Novus saddle, 30mm Schwalbe S-One Tubeless Easy V-guard tyres Tifosi is the brainchild of British company Chicken Cycle Kit, distributor of Campagnolo and Cinelli, alongside other – mainly Italian – marques. It started out making audax and winter training bikes, but has now branched out to race bikes and this disc-braked road-cum-gravel Cavazzo. It comes with front and rear thruaxles, though the mix of a 15mm front and 12mm rear is one you’re more likely to find on a mountain bike than a road machine. However, it does ensure resolute rigidity with no disc rub at any…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.6kg (58cm) Frame Carbon Fork Carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra 50/34, 11-28 Brakes TRP Spyre cable discs Wheels Fulcrum Racing 5 disc Finishing kit Vitus alloy stem and compact drop bar, Vitus carbon seatpost, Vitus saddle, 25mm Continental Grand Sport Race tyres Vitus has long been associated with racing. In its original French incarnation back in the 1980s, Sean Kelly powered lugged skinny aluminium Vitus bikes to victories in races such as Milan-San Remo. In its new post-2011 guise – now as part of Northern Ireland’s Chain Reaction Cycles – Vitus sponsors the An Post Sean Kelly cycling team. Not surprisingly we expected a pretty racy number and the first glance of the Venon VR’s clean, slender lines seemed to bear that out. It was only when we started…

FOX WILSON CAMDEN £99 Handmade in the UK and styled like a Harrington jacket, the Camden features Schoeller’s weather- and abrasionresistant C-Change fabric that makes it superb for riding, even when seriously wet. Subtle reflective trim adds an element of safety, with the storm zips, magnetic clasp hip pockets and long merino cuffs making for a well-priced mix of style and performance. ENDURA URBAN FLIPJAK £99.99 This is great off the bike, understated in black, with an elasticated hood, one chest and two waist pockets, and a tall collar. Reversing the jacket gives a hi-vis bright green showerproof shell. It’s light and packs down small but its PrimaLoft insulation keeps it warm. The combination of casual style, fit, practicality and almost too much warmth is superb for cool weather. RAPHA…

HIGHS Outstanding build and ride quality LOWS No tubeless option; expensive; heavier than claimed ITALIAN COMPONENT MANUFACTURER 3T has a long history of making things we want, and the Discus C35 Team wheelset is no exception. It marries very smart-looking 32mm deep, satin-finished carbon rims to solid cartridge-bearing disc hubs. The latter accept CenterLock rotors for maximum convenience, as well as all mainstream axle standards including conventional quick releases; we tested ours with a 15mm front thru-axle and a 142x12mm rear. This setup weighs a decent but unexceptional 1534g for the pair including rim tape – gravity must have been having an off day in Italy when 3T checked its wheels, because that’s a little more than the 1425g claimed weight. Wide rims are all the rage now because they…

1 SLOTH Missing valuable time in the saddle “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of,” said Benjamin Franklin. Admittedly, the Founding Father of the United States wasn’t known for his saddle skills – but he’s right about making time for things that are important to you. So in the context of cycling, how do you do it? Commuting to work is an obvious – though not always practical – answer. If work feels like too many gear-shifts away from home, treat your ride routine like a business appointment to give you the motivation to stick to it. A Pennsylvania bridge bearing old Ben Franklin’s name recently took the step of closing to motor traffic on set days so cycle-mad locals…

HIGHS Decent performance, indecent price LOWS Takes a bit to smooth out Weight 292g Wiggle’s ‘Essential’ pedal is a total steal at £20, as its performance on the road is actually better than a lot of pedals that are twice as expensive. The bearings take a little while to loosen up before they assume the correct angle of dangle for easy engagement. But once run-in, their adjustable engagement/release tension is similar to ‘Light Action’ Shimano with a positive click in and out. If you’d rather have a more mobile feel than the firmly supportive SPD-SL version there’s also a Look Keo-style option for the same ultra-competitive price. Either way, the composite body keeps weight reasonable and gives a noticeably more damped, less clattery feel than alloy bodies. BOARDMAN HYBRID TEAM…

HIGHS Lightweight, supportive, knee friendly, easy entry LOWS Not for fixed foot fans Weight 234g Instead of continuing with its own range of pedals, Mavic has teamed up with fellow French brand Time, and apart from the branding the Zxellium Elite is identical to Time’s £59.99 Xpresso 4. The i-Clic design not only looks radical, it also reverses conventional pedal design by being open until step-in pressure forces the composite leaf spring shut. This gives super-easy, yet clearly communicated entry and, unlike the Look Blade design, binding tension is adjustable. There’s a small amount of toe float and tons of heel float before a positive click out and the plate is low to the axle to create a very secure, planted feel despite the low weight. Sideways stance is also…

Bergamo-based Bianchi is one of the world’s oldest bike companies, dating back to 1885. Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantani are just some of the riders to have achieved success on the company’s distinctive ‘Celeste’ green machines, and to celebrate that heritage, this month we’re pitting two of the company’s contemporary bikes against each other – one at the cutting edge of 21st century carbon fibre bike design, the other a modern recreation of a 1960s classic. The all-new L’Eroica is based on Bianchi’s mid-Sixties Bianchi Specialissima – the name the company reserves for its very best bikes. The original was a competition-level bike that would have set you back about £80 – at a time when a new Mini cost £500. It’s hard to get a…

HIGHS Light, stiff, consistent, reliable LOWS Slow to respond, poor at sprints Weight +50g Left/right No Range 1 model, 110/130BCD, 170-175mm cranks DIY battery swap Yes Battery/life CR2477B/approx 100hrs Rotor launched the left-sided Power LT to create a more affordable entry point below its dual-sided Power, though oddly it was only ever sold as a complete crankset so you couldn’t upgrade a Rotor crankset you already owned. The LT weighs just 50g more than a regular 3D+ crankset, making it the second lightest here behind the Stages. The strain gauges are built into the crank arm and the electronic gubbins are housed in a unit on the end. It has an accelerometer so doesn’t need a magnet, making both installation and pairing a breeze. Rotor proudly claims that the Power…

HIGHS Accuracy, consistency, simplicity, value LOWS Nothing Weight 781g (with rings) Left/right Yes, calculated Range 8 models DIY battery swap Yes Battery/life CR2032/claimed 500hrs The Elsa RS is Quarq’s top-of-theline model made for Shimano four-bolt chainrings. It looks the part, too, perfectly blending into a Dura-Ace drivetrain. Quarq has come a long way in a relatively short time, with constant updates and innovations since its launch back in 2008. Since being bought by SRAM in 2011, the pace of progress has only increased and we’ve seen a flurry of new features and price drops. This lightweight model with hollow carbon cranks is great value at just over a grand and every other version, right down to the £639 entry- level Riken AL, features all the same measurement hardware. The most…

HIGHS Reliability, consistency, battery life, crank options LOWS Very expensive, no DIY battery swap, no analysis Weight 768g (+132g, Dura-Ace 9000) Left/right No Range 15 crank options DIY battery swap No Battery life 2000-3000 hours The SRM system is the granddaddy of power meters; it was already well established when PowerTap came along in 1998. By comparison, the likes of Garmin and Stages have been doing this for about five minutes. And it shows. SRM is still viewed as the gold standard and this unit didn’t disappoint. Only three units were completely faultless throughout testing, and this was one of them. But, if being the granddaddy sounds a bit like being a dinosaur, well that’s also true. SRM hasn’t gone out of its way to move with the times. This…

CAUSES Migraine headaches tend to be quite severe, one-sided and can be associated with nausea, vomiting and visual disturbance. If you suffer from migraines and get headaches during cycling, it is likely that it is down to migraine, even if the symptoms are not the same as your usual attacks. Increased cardiac output during maximum exertion can cause a pulsating headache. Cervicogenic headaches arise in the neck – stiff neck muscles would suggest this as a cause. TREATMENT In migraine, non-steroidal antiinflammatories can help, combined with anti-sickness medication if necessary. Your GP may prescribe triptans if analgesics don’t work. A headache that comes on during hard exercise may be a sign of something serious, so see your doctor. If the all-clear is given, antiinflammatories or beta-blockers may be recommended. Cervicogenic…

Divorce lawyer Emma Pearmaine breaks down the Mamil acronym in a whole new way. It might just save your marriage… MAKE TIME FOR EACH OTHER It’s all very well making time to get out on your bike, but you also need to make time for your partner, who (presumably) wants to see you occasionally too. Strike a bargain: an afternoon out cycling in exchange for an afternoon doing something your partner wants to do. ACCEPTANCE If your partner really doesn’t like you going off on your bike for hours, accept it and try to make it more bearable. Empower them to find an interest of their own they can enjoy while you are out cycling. MODEL GROWN UP BEHAVIOURS There’s no point arguing over differences in opinion. Talk to each…

NEAREST STATION Harrogate FOOD AND DRINK For your pre-race ‘last supper’ try Gianni’s Brio Italian restaurant. www.brios.co.uk WHERE TO STAY There’s no shortage of choice. Luxury hotels include the Hotel du Vin (www.hotelduvin.com) or West Park Hotel (www.thewestpark hotel.com), while mid-range there’s a Travelodge and Holiday Inn in the town centre. BIKE SHOPS Plenty to choose from in this cycling haven. Prologue Performance Cycling (www.prologuecycling.co.uk) is a one-stopcycling shop, with a cafe, workshop and treatment rooms. WEBSITE ridethestruggle.com (entry £35)…

While editing BBC Radio 4’s Today show over Christmas, Sir Bradley Wiggins revealed his favourite place to ride. You might think he’d choose somewhere exotic like Majorca, where he owns a home, or Tenerife, where he prepared for his 2012 Tour de France victory. But no – instead, Sir Bradley went for Rivington Pike in Lancashire. It goes to show that while Great Britain might lack the warmer weather and high mountains of the continent, when it comes to the quality and variety of riding, it has few equals. There really is no place like home.…

NEAREST STATION Strathcarron station is served by the Inverness-Kyle line. Inverness links to all other major UK cities. See www.nationalrail.co.uk. A minibus to Shieldaig meets the midday train Monday to Saturday. See www.shieldaig.eu (a local B&B) for more transport details. FOOD, DRINK & ACCOMMODATION Get your mid-ride supplies before you leave at Shieldaig’s village shop. Nanny’s Shop in Shieldaig doesn’t just sell souvenirs and craft, it also has a cafe menu and excellent coffee: 0845 4582891, www.nannysshop.co.uk. There is also a free campsite in Shieldaig. For a popular B&B in Shieldaig try Aurora Bed and Breakfast www.aurora-bedandbreakfast.co.uk, 01520 755246. To stay or eat in Applecross, try the famous Applecross Inn www.applecross.uk.com BIKE SHOPS Make sure you stock up before you get to the Applecross Peninsula as there are no bike…

NEAREST STATION Wrexham FOOD & DRINK While it’s a popular tourist area the wild bits are pretty wild, so fill your pockets and your belly at the start in Bala. Along the way there’s a cafe at Trawsfynydd Power Station that should guarantee a ‘Ready Brek’ glow half-way round, plus the Eagle Inn at Llanuwchllyn and Lake Yrnwy Hotel at the far end of the lake if you’re feeling flush. ACCOMMODATION There are plenty of places to stay in the area so type Bala into www.visitwales.com. Try the Rhiw Goch Inn at Bron Aber if you’re bringing a group and fancy a ‘school trip’ bunk bed experience, but with an excellent pub on your doorstep. At the other extreme if you need somewhere to leave that special someone to be…