Tabla de contenidos para Issue 45 en Cyclist Australia

ED'S LETTER

A recent article in The Guardian declared that ‘bicycles are the new toilet paper’. In 2019 such a statement would have undoubtedly been considered an insult, but given how 2020 has progressed, it's safe to say we all get the reference – and it's good news for the industry. Since COVID-19 darkened our doorsteps, bike stores that were expecting to have to lay off staff have, in fact, had to ask casuals to pull extra shifts to keep up with demand as bike sales boomed in response to social distancing and isolation measures. Drive through the city on any given day and it's not unusual to see your local bike store with queues out the door. It's funny how things go. On the other hand, due to nationwide travel restrictions,…

2 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Selle Italia SP-01 Boost Tekno Superflow

It isn’t by chance that the swooping architecture of the SP-01 Boost Tekno saddle’s carbon shell looks like it was taken straight from the panel of a race car. Selle Italia developed the saddle with Dallara, an Italian manufacturer of motor racing chassis, and judging by the retail price we've seen on it overseas, that evidently introduces Formula 1-level costs. Selle Italia says it wanted to incorporate two of its most recent anatomic design concepts into a snub-nosed full carbon saddle to bring their purported performance benefits down to a lighter weight. So the SP-01 Boost Tekno features Selle’s Superflow technology, a large central cut-out to relieve perineal pressure, as well as the brand’s ‘Suspension Link Movement’ feature. That means the left and right sides of the saddle are only…

1 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Q & A André Greipel

Cyclist: We heard that you were considering retirement back in June last year. Is that true? André Greipel: Exactly, those were my thoughts when I pulled out of the Critérium du Dauphiné. I was ready to stop, but my family, my coach and everybody convinced me to continue. So for me, even doing the Tour last year was already a big success. Just being there and finishing in Paris meant a lot. Cyc: What was your time like with French team Arkéa-Samsic? Did you find it odd to step down from the WorldTour to ProContinental at this point in your career? AG: No, I was really really happy to get the challenge to move to ProConti status with Arkéa-Samsic. But it is just a status. It was quite a professional…

5 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Huawei Watch GT 2

Remember when smartwatches were the latest hi-tech gadget? These days they have become as commonplace as non-dairy milks and Mathieu van der Poel winning things, so a watch needs to have something very smart indeed to stand out from the crowd. Mobile phone giant and political hot potato Huawei (pronounced wah-way) has decided that battery life is the best place to focus its efforts, and claims its new Watch GT 2 will go for two weeks between charges. That’s based on ‘average use’, which it defines as continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and 90 minutes of GPS-tracked exercise per week – covering everything from cycling to gym work to swimming (the latter an activity that usually precludes heart rate monitoring in other smartwatches due to the water, but which…

1 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Peak riding

As I near the top of Mount Buffalo on the final day, I peer at the stunning alpine landscape and feel a huge sense of tranquility. I’m in my happy place. To do it with an awesome group of women only heightens my sensations. It’s nearly time to head home, but I’m not ready. The Ride High Country Women’s 3 Peaks Weekend – quite the mouthful – based in Bright, Victoria has been one of the best. I need to stay a little longer. It has been a while since I’ve escaped the city with little more than cycling on the itinerary, and while I feel the effects of conquering the surrounding slopes, I also feel refreshed. It’s impossible not to feel relaxed here. Separated from the urban critique of:…

12 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

BUS FARE

At every race the protocol is the same. Journalists wait at the team buses for post-race comments on how the crosswinds or cobbles dictated a memorable day in the saddle. As each rider nears we move in, hungry for nuggets of wisdom. And invariably the rider rolls straight past, dismounts, hands the bike to a mechanic and skips onto the bus with the transitional prowess of a Brownlee brother. In a sport scarred by its reputation for secrecy, you could argue team buses are a symbol of cycling’s nefarious past. The blackedout windows give the impression of something to hide – Team Sky’s bus was labelled the Death Star, don’t forget. But if you speak to the drivers and riders, this perception is far from the reality. ‘They’re light, airy…

10 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

BIKES REVIEWED

In this issue, Cyclist takes a closer look at a traditionally radical bike from 3T that is now available to all – no matter your drivetrain. We also take a peek at a new steed from Giant that looks familiar at the outset but which, upon closer inspection, reveals plenty of new features worth talking about.…

1 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Flanders’ Finest

Which Tour of Flanders was the best ever? When the 2020 Ronde was postponed, this question began playing on my mind. Perhaps it was in 1919, when a doped-up Henri van Lerberghe stole someone’s musette and soloed to glory on a borrowed bicycle, stopping off to down beers en route. Or was it the 1939 race, when Karel Kaers thought he was only riding the first half for training but was duped by his manager to continue because he was streets ahead of the field? With so many to choose from, I narrowed my focus to consider only those in my own living memory, and even then I couldn’t settle on one. Here, then, are the 10 best Flanders of my lifetime, in chronological order. 1985: Kelly’s anti-hero. In biblical…

3 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Sugar and spice

Factor O2 VAM When someone refers to ‘VAM’, the chances are they are talking about how fast a rider can climb. It is an acronym for ‘velocità ascensionale media’, an Italian term that means ‘average ascent speed’. There is a reason it was coined in Italian – the infamous doctor Michele Ferrari came up with it to measure the performance of a certain American rider. Despite its nefarious connotations, it’s an appropriate label for Factor’s new bike. The brand claims the frameset for its O2 VAM Disc hovers around the kilo mark, making for a super-lightweight rig designed for going uphill fast. ‘It was time to evolve the O2,’ says Factor co-founder and chief engineer Rob Giletis. ‘Rim brakes were still very relevant when that bike came out. There was…

3 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Parcours Strade wheelset

The proof that wider tyres can be faster is indisputable, but the caveat is that the dimensions of the rim play a significant role in the outcome. Parcours says its latest Strade wheelset is optimised around tubeless 28mm tyres to be fast-rolling, lightweight and aerodynamic, but also robust enough for off-road use. A key discovery in the company’s research, conducted at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, was that the front wheel is subjected to a much broader sweep of wind angles than the rear, which is shielded by the bike frame and rider. As a result, the Strade wheels are designed as individual products, not identical pairs. The profile of the front wheel is wider (32mm external) and shallower (49mm) to maximise stability and control, while the rear is…

1 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

In praise of… Henri Desgrange

Even for its time, the 1926 Tour de France was a particularly brutal affair. Covering 5,745km over 17 stages, it remains the longest in history, rightfully earning the nickname ‘The Tour of Suffering’. For French rider Marcel Bidot it was especially gruelling. Making his Tour debut at the age of 23, he found himself a victim of successive misfortunes and petty regulations. First, he broke a pedal and had to use just one foot to propel himself until he was eventually allowed to borrow an ill-fitting bike from a spectator – on condition he used his own wheels. Then his freewheel broke in the Pyrenees (derailleurs were banned) but he still managed to climb five cols, including the Tourmalet, in the gear he would have been using on the descents.…

5 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

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1 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Col du Galibier

To describe the Galibier as the oldest Alpine climb feels a little misleading. After all, the paths over the Alps existed long before the Tour de France arrived, and who knows which of them appeared first? However, in terms of the history of the Tour, the Galibier is the most senior of all the Alpine climbs and it has a grandeur befitting this status. It first appeared on the roster in 1911, just a year after the Tourmalet had first ushered high mountains into the race. As you may remember, those forced to do battle with the Pyrenees in 1910 accused the race’s mastermind, Henri Desgrange, of being ‘murderers’, but this clearly didn’t deter him. As an introduction to the Alps, climbing the Galibier is about as intimidating as learning…

7 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

SPECIAL EFFECTS

Like many successful brands, Specialized’s story is one of entrepreneurship and capitalism, but this one comes with a leftfield twist. As a young man fresh out of university in 1973, Mike Sinyard sold his Volkswagen Camper van to raise enough money to fly to Europe and ride around on his bike. After spending some time in Italy he met Cino Cinelli, founder of the eponymous Italian bike company. Spotting an opportunity, Sinyard bought as much of Cinelli’s product as he could afford, so that he could sell it back in the US. He would later convince the Italian to make him the sole US importer of the brand. ‘Mike sold those first few components from a trailer attached to his bicycle, riding up and down the San Francisco Bay area,’…

12 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

3T Strada Due

During my tests with the 3T Strada Due, I couldn’t help thinking about the homeware company Alessi. It isn’t quite as random a leap as it first seems – both are iconic Italian companies and both have classic designs that have become synonymous with the brand. Alessi has its Juicy Salif lemon squeezer and 9093 Whistling Bird kettle; 3T has its Record 78 stem and, most recently, its Strada frameset. When it comes to product practicality, however, the brands couldn’t be more different. Alessi’s Juicy Salif juicer, resembling as it does a Martian machine from The War of the Worlds, is so ungainly it is virtually impossible to store in a kitchen cupboard. And, speaking from bitter personal experience, the kettle takes an eternity to boil water. Compare that with…

6 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Pearl Izumi Pro kit

pearlizumi.com The perennial challenge facing designers of winter cycling apparel is to incorporate a high level of protection from cold, wind and rain into light and stretchy fabrics while allowing adequate breathability to avoid an unwelcome sweatfest. Pearl Izumi’s answer to this challenge is its exclusive PI Dry technology, which the brand describes as helping to create ‘its most advanced technical outer layers to date’. PI Dry is a hydrophobic treatment that means water will bead and roll off the fabric, and will continue to do so, Pearl Izumi claims, even after 100 washes. Both the Pro AmFib jacket and Pro Pursuit bibtights utilise the PI Dry technology, with three-layer, four-way stretch softshell for a combination of low bulk, warmth, unrestricted movement and decent ventilation. So now you’ll have to…

1 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

It takes two

Matt and I became friends just before Bespoked [the handmade bike show in the UK], I think in 2015. I needed a spray paint booth as mine was out of action, so I went round to his workshop begging to use it. He was like, “Yeah, go for it.” We got on and have been friends ever since.’ It’s Monday morning, the coffee’s on and Caren Hartley is explaining how she came to be in an industrial unit in Mitcham, London, working with fellow framebuilder Matt McDonough. The idea that two people build bikes here is not surprising – there are the requisite decades-old lathes, gas bottles and racks of frames – but what might seem odd is the fact that here are two established framebuilders working together as well…

5 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Jersey tales

With just under 20km of the 2003 Tour of Lombardy remaining, Michele Bartoli attacked, riding away from a leading group of 20 riders. Bartoli had signed for the Fassa Bortolo team in late 2001 after his contract with Mapei was rescinded. Bartoli and Mapei had been at odds over his non-selection for a number of races and relations had deteriorated to the point of no return. His move to Fassa Bortolo reunited him with sports director Giancarlo Ferretti, a man he had ridden for at MG Maglificio in the 1990s and under whose direction he had won the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. ‘This solution will cost me a lot of money, but will give me the chance of taking part in a race within a few days with another…

5 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

The Untouched Col

Anyone who skis in Europe will be familiar with the Trois Vallees. This vast region of the French Alps is serviced by several major resorts, all interconnected by a lift system that allows skiers to move from one valley to the next as seamlessly as possible. When the summer arrives, however, and the snow disappears, only mountain bike and hiking trails connect the resort of Courchevel in the Saint-Bon valley to Meribel in the Allues valley. Or at least, that’s how it used to be. In the summer of 2019 a road was built over the Col de la Loze, connecting the two ski resorts and creating a brand new playground for road cyclists in the process. Even better, the entire length of the route is closed to motor vehicles,…

15 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Making the cut

Last December, Jumbo-Visma took the unusual step of naming their 2020 Tour de France squad seven months early. Adopting the arguably unsuccessful Movistar model of three co-leaders – Tom Dumoulin, Primo Roglič and Steven Kruijswijk – the rest of the Tour squad would comprise Wout van Aert, Tony Martin, Laurens De Plus, Sepp Kuss and Robert Gesink. Sports director Merijn Zeeman explained the rationale behind the decision at the team’s 2020 launch in Amsterdam before Christmas. ‘We’ve analysed the last five years of Grand Tours,’ he started. ‘What is the influence of time-trials on the final classification? What was the composition of the team that was able to conquer and defend a jersey? We found a common thread. That’s why we feel we’ll be going to the Tour with this,…

11 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

City of Stars

In the early-morning light, a group of young women is dancing methodically around in a circle on some nearby stone steps and humming what sounds like a high-pitched sea shanty. I shoot a confused look towards my host, Louise. ‘It’s the Game of Thrones theme,’ she says with a derisive smile. ‘It’s always Game of Thrones.’ Many of the HBO series’ scenes were shot in the Old Town of Girona, and a fair number of the tourists who visit the city are here to see the filming locations. I let out a snort of laughter as we clip in for the start of our ride, but then I wonder if when they gazed down at us, clad in Lycra, they might be thinking the same thing themselves: ‘Cyclists. It’s always…

16 min.

Cyclist Australia|Issue 45

Giant’s Defy Advanced Pro 1

If ever there was a brand that could see into the future, it would surely be Giant. Back when rim brakes were standard across the board, the Defy came out equipped exclusively with disc brakes, and weighed just 7.25kg. At the time that was mildly mind-blowing, and yet today it looks all too conventional. And while the new Defy doesn’t look any different, rest assured, this is no less a vision of the future than its forebear. ‘Aside from the D-Fuse seatpost, the headset bearings and the rear derailleur hanger, pretty much every part of the bike has changed,’ says David Ward, product manager for Giant UK. Sure enough, while the 2020 Defy cuts a similar silhouette to the previous version, every tube shape is actually slightly different. The main…

6 min.