Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2026 i Cycling Plus

While it will be of little relief to the 120 people reportedly at risk of redundancy at their Vicenza HQ, confirmation that Campagnolo are developing more affordable groupsets is promising. The brand’s public perception is at a decisive moment, and a step in the wrong direction now could put them on the back foot. As an outsider, the their recent strategy has felt rudderless. Campagnolo themselves acknowledged a shift towards a “sports luxury” position, but this hasn’t delivered the sales or new fans needed to build a credible long-term business. Recent releases have put the brand on the right track, but that’s not enough. While by all accounts very good, Super Record 13 likely only appeals to older riders with lots of disposable income who grew up dreaming of owning…

Subscribe today and enjoy every season Save 20% off the shop price Great reasons to subscribe… • Pay just £27.99 every 6 issues by Direct Debit! • Discover inspiration, seasonal tips and local spotlights with every issue • Receive FREE UK delivery direct to your door Easy ways to order www.ourmediashop.com/CFHA26A 03330 162 120† Please quote CFHA26A †UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). Outside of free call packages call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute. Lines are open Mon to Fri 9-am-5pm Terms & Conditions *Offer ends 31st December 2026. 20% saving is only available to…

Frame ‘Series 4’ 6061 aluminium alloy (large) Fork Carbon fibre Motor Bosch Performance Line SX Battery Bosch CompactTube, 400Wh Groupset Shimano GRX, 12-speed (42t, 10-51t) Wheels Marin aluminium rims on alloy hubs Tyres Vee G-Sport, 700c x 44mm Cockpit Marin flared alloy bar (46cm), stem (70mm), seatpost and Beyond Road Concept Elite saddle While the Lombard was formerly a purely pedal-powered commuter bike, the Bosch motor, wide tyres and flared bar of this re-imagined electric version open it up to a wide range of capabilities. At its core, this is a bike that has riding to work and weekend cruising as its raison d’être, while the pricier Lombard E2 (£3,999) looks more suited to dirt trails. I’ve found the city streets flash by, gravel spins are dispatched with ease and…

Your Experts…

Wout van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson, Mads Pederson… Why do the world’s best cyclists spend the off season in the immersive and entertaining indoor-cycling world of ROUVY? Simple – it ensures their fitness levels are at their optimum for cranking up the outdoor miles when the days lengthen and temperatures rise. And, of course, tackling ROUVY’s real-world, iconic routes is damn fun (if not a little exhausting!). Darkness, cold winds and icy roads aren’t exactly tempting riding partners, and with ROUVY you can maintain – correction, elevate – your cycling performance so that when spring arrives, you’re in prime cycling shape. Whether your goal is a local 10-mile time trial, the memorable Fred Whitton Challenge or L’Étape du Tour, ROUVY offers a wide variety of terrains, sessions and challenges to optimise…

Ratio Technology say their new Mech is the first derailleur manufactured in the UK for 60 years. The metal and thermoplastic components are made at their factory in the Lake District while the nylon parts are 3D-printed in Kent. It’s designed to work with a range of 12- and 13-speed road and gravel cassettes from Shimano and SRAM, with 11-speed compatibility touted as coming soon. There’s both a directmount option, compatible with SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) dropouts, and a hanger-mounted version, and it can also be converted between the two. Tom Simpson, director of the company – previously best known for their cablepull-ratio adapters and replacement derailleur parts – says the mechanical Ratio Mech’s performance should rival that of electronic systems, but at a lower weight. He claims its…

Last April, I was lucky enough to sit down with retired pro Allan Peiper over lunch. The Australian 65-year-old and winner of 20 professional races (with a 1990 stage win at the Giro d'Italia among his palmarès) has more recently been a pro cycling team manager and now lives in Belgium, just a stone’s throw from the iconic bergs (hills) that dot the Flemish landscape. As we talked, we soon discussed Tadej Pogačar. At the time, the supercharged Slovenian was just a few weeks away from his highly anticipated debut in Paris-Roubaix, and Peiper, who was one of his first sports directors and mentors when the rider turned pro back in 2019 with UAE Team Emirates-XRG, was hesitant about his former protégé’s chances of winning the race. He wasn’t sure…

Your Experts…

Weight 7.97kg (size 56cm) Frame Carbon fibre Fork Carbon fibre Groupset SRAM Force AXS E1 Wheels Black Inc Forty Five Tyres Goodyear Eagle F1 R, 28mm Finishing kit Black Inc HB04 cockpit, Factor Monza carbon seatpost, Selle Italia SLR Boost TM saddle Extras Out-front mount, down-tube storage bag The Monza represents a departure for Factor, who, until now, have focused practically all of their energies on the high end of the bike market. This time, instead of ultra-premium lay-ups and builds, there’s a workmanlike recipe, but it’s still far from cheap. While the Monza might be the least Factor-like bike the brand have produced, it still has plenty to commend it. This is Factor’s attempt at producing a ‘democratised’ race bike – one that doesn’t necessarily sit at the bleeding…

01 SHOULD CYCLISTS DO INTERMITTENT FASTING? Do you regularly clock up the miles and still find that you’re holding onto weight that you’re trying to lose? Try looking to your diet – the number of calories you’re taking in has to be fewer than those you’re burning. This can be easier said than done, though, especially when, as committed a cyclist, your diet needs to be tailored for the work your body is doing. Intermittent fasting, which focuses on when, rather than what, you eat, may be worth considering. It’s an eating pattern rather than a diet, and its ideas and mainstream appeal draw on the ancient eating patterns of our ancestors, who would hunt for their food and go far longer without it than many in the Western world, with…

Q1 DO BIKES HAVE TO BE PACKED AWAY FOR EUROSTAR? Can you explain Eurostar’s bicycle policy? From what I can gather, unless it’s a folding bike, they must be dismantled and in a bag or box – surely that’s not right? Benjamin McKee Yes, unfortunately the bicycle policy of Eurostar (the cross-Channel train service from London to Paris and other locations in northern Europe) is very restrictive. The company changed many of their policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and have different rules for bikes depending on which countries you’re travelling between. “We can only transport fully assembled bikes on trains travelling between London and Brussels,” say Eurostar. “If you’re travelling between London and Paris, your bike must be disassembled and [packed] in a box or bag when you drop it off.”…

Spanish brand Gobik’s new Superarmour jacket is designed to take on the coldest days on the bike. With an operating window of -8º to 7ºC, it could be a good option for those who’d rather brave black ice than suffer an hour on an indoor trainer. Its construction combines an eVent DVstorm waterproof membrane with Polartec Alpha thermal insulation. Together, Gobik claim, these offer exceptional performance in the cold and wet. With fully taped seams, the jacket has a 10k waterproof rating, so should see off moderate rain. A breathability rating of 20k means you shouldn’t boil in the bag should the weather brighten up. On the inside, the Polartec insulation has an open-fibre construction that enables airflow under the shell, which should keep things from getting clammy. In line…

Are you considering dating a cyclist? Or perhaps you’re an avid bike rider who’s looking to entice a lover and needs help dispelling the ‘Lycra lout’ stereotype. Either way, we have good news for you. A relationship with a fan of pedalling is the gateway to a wholesome lifestyle full of delicious coffee, exotic travel and figure-hugging clothing! Okay, not all of the reasons to date a cyclist listed over the next few pages apply to every single one of us, but we reckon one or two of these might ring true for you… 1 Silky shaven legs First things first. Many cyclists opt for freshly shaven legs in the summer. Some do it in pursuit of aerodynamic gains or following tradition, while for others, the reason is to avoid…

It was inevitable. Smart trainers were followed by smart bikes and now we have the middle ground – smart frames. Gone is the need to remove your outdoor bike’s rear wheel and clamp to said trainer; instead, these indoor-only frames cosy up to the trainer’s dropouts. Are they justified in an already crowded indoortraining market? Well, they’re less pricey than an out-and-out indoor bike such as the Wahoo KICKR or Wattbike Atom. They’re also lighter, while delivering similar levels of adjustment. I pulled on my bib shorts and took flight upon two of these new beasts – the Zwift Ride and Elite Square – to see how they performed (it looks as if the Caveworks RIVET is currently the only other option in this niche). Zwift and Elite see smart…

Need to know Here’s what to expect from the latest bikes that are built for speed It looks as if 2026 is set to be a big year for new road bikes, with plenty of models ready for an update or overhaul. Pipping them to the post at the end of 2025, two new bikes arrived with us, from Wilier and Factor, helping to give us a sneak peek at how the top and mid-sections of the market are evolving. In one corner is the Wilier Filante SLR ID2 in Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9270 guise – the successor to the bike Mark Cavendish rode to his 35th Tour de France stage win in 2024. A true pro-level thoroughbred, it still straddles the aero and all-round race bike categories, but is…

● Try your first 3 issues for just £6* ● Continue to pay just £22.99 every 6 issues – saving 30% off the shop price ● Free UK delivery direct to your door in environmentally friendly wrapping ● Never miss an issue of the world’s oldest and best-selling wildlife magazine! Subscribe online or call us… Visit www.ourmediashop.com/WLHA25or call 03330 162 121† QUOTE CODE WLHA25 *3 issues for £6 available to UK Direct Debit orders only. After your first 3 issues, your subscription will continue at just £22.99 every 6 issues, saving more than 30% on the shop price. If you cancel within two weeks of receiving your second issue, you will pay no more than £6. Your subscription with start with the next available issue. †UK calls will cost the…