Table of contents for June 2017 in Cycling Plus

IN DEFENCE OF... Recently retired Joanna Rowsell Shand says she never experienced sexism at British Cycling during her career. “[It’s] not perfect, and people’s complaints need to be addressed, but they have done a lot of good,” she told The Times. HOUSE IN ORDER London’s outdoor Herne Hill velodrome has reopened after work finished on its new pavilion. Built in 1891, it’s gone from strength to strength since its future was threatened in 2001. SCHLECKS ON TOUR In the month Andy Schleck was announced as an Étape du Tour ambassador, his brother Fränk will ride the inaugural Haute Route Alpe d’Huez, three days of riding based from the famed ski resort. HALL OF FAME Despite being just 35, Mike Hall achieved legendary status in the ultra-cycling world and his tragic…

This versatile GPS computer from Taiwan aims to take on Garmin with a colour touchscreeen and an integrated video camera that’s records clips up to nine seconds in length. Featuring full mapping in addition to all the usual metrics, the X5 offers 3G connectivity, allowing it to connect to other riders’ devices or upload rides directly to Xplova’s own logging service. It weighs 120g plus a handful for the out-front mount, and costs £429. ON THE RADAR BIKE TECH OF THE NEAR FUTURE HOW MUCH?!? It’s an oft-asked question, but Mavic’s new Comete Ultimate shoes deserve it. These have an exoskeleton, interchangeable inner booties and make your pedalling more powerful. It’s claimed. Price? £900! ROLLER BALLS Parted with 900 quid for shoes? Why not invest in oversized derailleur pulleys. The…

Cambodia blew me away. We were cycling through places that had never seen bikes before I longed for a big boy’s bike. My first bike was a girly pink thing with tassels on the handlebar. I used to spend all my school holidays out on it but I preferred the boys’ bikes like my brother had - the Choppers and BMX bikes. I was so envious of him. When it comes to training, I’m a bit of a sadist. I love a Wattbike, I use one to train at the gym for long charity rides and to keep in shape over the winter. I sit in front of the television, pedalling away. I’ll also do spin classes through the week – they’re exhausting but when you’re pushed for time they…

There’s a nod to practicality in the form of mudguard mounts front and rear SPECIFICATION Weight 9.6kg (M) Frame Delta ALX8 6066/6061 aluminium Fork Carbon, alloy steerer Gears Shimano Tiagra 50/34 Brakes Tektro R-315 Wheels Alex AT470 rims, Joytech hubs Finishing kit Genesis AS-007 alloy stem, Genesis bar, Road Comfort saddle, alloy seatpost, 25mm Kenda Kriterium tyres We tend to associate Genesis with stylish, slightly off-beat steel bikes like the adventurous Croix de Fer and the racy Volare, but the British brand also produces more mainsteam fare. The Delta 20 is an entry-level aluminium-framed road bike with 10-speed Shimano Tiagra components and a fairly basic spec. For £200 less you could have a similar bike with eight-speed Claris kit, but on paper at least, it’s this 20 that looks like…

SPECIFICATION Weight 8.5kg (S) Frame Evo Pro carbon Fork Evo Pro carbon, alloy steerer Gears Shimano 105, RS500 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Ribble dual pivot Wheels Mavic Aksium Finishing kit Deda Zero stem and bar, Selle Italia X1 saddle, CSN Superleggera alloy, 25mm Continental Ultra Sport tyres In addition to supplying what seems like every other winter bike in the land, Lancashire-based value specialist Ribble pumps out an array of budget carbon offerings. The Evo Pro has been updated for 2017, promising more comfort and improved aero (although how much is anyone’s guess), along with a generous spec for this special edition. Aesthetically we have mixed feelings. The paintwork is glossy and well executed, with the green highlights giving it a Cannondale flavour, but the frame’s proportions are slightly gawky, at…

SPECIFICATION Weight 9.9kg (51cm) Frame CAAD Optimo SmartForm C2 Alloy Fork Cannondale Ultra carbon Gears FSA Omega BB30, 50/34 Brakes Promax Render R front, DKS-330R rear cable disc Wheels RD 3.0 rims, Formula hubs Finishing kit Cannondale C4 alloy stem and bar, 25mm Schwalbe Lugano tyres Cannondale’s CAAD frames are the stuff of legend and over the last couple of decades the brand’s earned accolades for its cleverly designed alloy bikes. The racy CAAD12 was our Bike of the Year last year, and the CAAD Optimo is its slightly more affordable sibling. This Optimo build offers Shimano Tiagra shifting and cable-operated Promax disc brakes. Beneath a glossy paintjob, the Optimo is familiar CAAD fare. Downtube aside, the frame is slender and dainty in appearance, and the more you look, the…

All the good stuff is bolted to an aluminium frame that’s distinctly B’Twin in flavour SPECIFICATION Weight 8.7kg (M) Frame 6061 aluminium Fork Ultra Evo Vario carbon Gears Shimano Ultegra 50/34, 11-28 Brakes Shimano Ultegra direct mount Wheels Mavic Cosmic Elite Finishing kit B’Twin alloy stem, Competition Ergo alloy bar, Fizik Arione, 25mm Mavic Yksion Comp tyres B’Twin is sports giant Decathlon’s in-house bike brand, and the Ultra AF is its aluminium racer, big brother to the super-affordable Triban series. The Ultra’s headline selling point is its spec, which is remarkably good, especially compared to some of the competition whose offerings have taken a hammering from unfavourable exchange rates. You get a full Ultegra groupset with no substitutions apart from the chain, and the brakes are the outstanding direct-mount version…

How do you make the call to dismount and run? There’s a point in every race when running is faster than riding, usually around particularly tricky corners or longer sections of mud. You need to factor the time lost dismounting and remounting the bike into this equation so experience and knowing your own ability is crucial. Quite often you’ll stay on the bike but then feel like it would be faster to run – it’s too late but the beauty of ’cross is you will be round to the same point in a few minutes so you can learn from the mistake and put it right. I got a bruised shoulder and the bar kept hitting me when I carried the bike. What was I doing wrong? Holding the bike…

1 Keep it compact Whenever you head to far-"ung places or for a training camp, space is at a premium. Once you’ve got your bike, kit, helmet and everything else to pack, bulky items like a track pump are the #rst to get left behind. Which leaves you with just a pocket emergency pump for bike setup duties. The new Air Tool ComPak just might be the solution as its packed dimensions of 57x10x6.5cm for the padded, zipped hard case easily slips into your bike bag, taking up little room. 2 Packs a punch Despite its small size, standing only 55cm tall, the Air Tool chucks out 230cc of air per stroke up to a maximum of 200psi (13.9bar) making it easily a match for a full-sized track pump. An…

The overall appearance is like that of a much more expensive bike SPECIFICATION Weight 8.7kg (55cm) Frame 7005 T6 aluminium Fork Pro SL Modulus full carbon Gears Shimano 105, 50/34, 11-32 Brakes Shimano 105 Wheels Mavic Aksium Elite Finishing kit Ritchey 4 Axis WTD stem, Ritchey Comp Streem II bar, Selle Italia X1 saddle, 25mm Mavic Yksion Elite tyres The idea of buying a proper bike online rather than in a shop doesn’t seem at all odd these days, and German giant Rose is just one of the brands that specialises in direct sales. The Pro SL 2000 is what Rose calls a “marathon” bike, which is to say an endurance or sportive machine with slightly less aggressive geometry than a full-on racer. The Pro SL’s aluminium frame is a…

The key ingredients to make cycling great are present and correct with the Endurace SPECIFICATION Weight 8.4kg (M) Frame Endurace AL aluminium Fork One One Eight SL full carbon Gears Shimano 105 50/34, 11-32 Brakes Shimano 105 Wheels Mavic Aksium Finishing kit Canyon V15 alloy stem, Canyon H17 Ergo Al bar, Selle Italia Q-Bik Flow saddle, 25mm Continental GP4000S II tyres German giant Canyon is arguably the best known name in the direct-sales game. With multiple pro teams riding its bikes, Canyon has proven that it’s a serious contender, but is it still competitive at the entry level? We’ve put the Endurace AL 6.0 to good use to find out. The Endurace AL’s frame is the opposite of complicated, indeed it’s a bit basic looking compared to some of its…

Leaving aside muted aesthetics, this is a thoroughly sorted bike in terms of ride and handling SPECIFICATION Weight 9.1kg (54cm) Frame Zenium 6061-Ti aluminium Fork T700 HM-UD full carbon Gears Shimano 105, 50/34, 11-28 Brakes TRP Spyre disc Wheels Fulcrum Racing Sport Disc Brake Finishing kit Vitus alloy bar, stem, and seatpost, Vitus saddle, 25mm Michelin Lithion 2 tyres Vitus is the in-house brand of online giant Chain Reaction Cycles, and it has built a reputation for providing solid value for money thanks to its direct-sales model. The Zenium is its affordable alloy racer, with the VR Disc variant specced out with Shimano 105, mechanical disc callipers and a full carbon fork. The Zenium VR Disc is not a beautiful bike. It’s not ugly and the proportions of its alloy…

SPECIALIZED AIR TOOL BLAST £45 This 2.32kg tyre setter is 50cm tall with a 1450cc air canister and a stable steel base. Fill the canister to the recommended maximum 140psi via a top-mounted Schrader valve, and flip the side-mounted lever to release air through its hose. It’s effective, seating a 33mm ’cross tyre on the third blast, and a 28mm road tyre immediately. SCHWALBE TYRE BOOSTER £59.99 Compact and portable, the 160psi cylinder’s top cap has a Presta valve and 54cm hose with a fiddly Presta/ Schrader screw-on valve. With no base it squirms between pump and wheel, but the hose uses its average air volume to good effect, seating our 28mm tyre on the first attempt, and CX tyre on the second, with help from the track pump. ZEFAL…

WE SAY The Shamal’s fast, light, quality aluminium ethos lives to ride for many more days CAMPAGNOLO’S SHAMAL WAS THE FIRST ever complete factory-made aluminium wheelset over two decades ago, and has undergone numerous reincarnations since. Boasting several innovative features over the years, the latest Shamal Ultra C17 combines them all, and maintains its aluminium construction. The rims are still of differentiated heights, 24mm at the front and 27mm rear, although they are heavily milled between the spokes, leaving a 3mm taller rectangle of material around each one. The extra depth allows sufficient purchase for the nipples to be screwed into the rim, leaving the internal rim bed undrilled, and therefore stronger with no need for rim tape. The rim width has increased to 22mm, and 17mm internally, to create…

Some aspects of riding a bike are instinctive. Long before you wore Lycra or rode in the drops, probably as far back as when you still had streamers on your handlebar, you hit your first hill and automatically rose out of the saddle to make the climb easier... It’s a regular source of debate among cyclists, with some believing that seated climbing is the best way to conserve energy, and others suggesting that the greater speed and muscle recruitment of standing makes it worth a little extra energy expenditure. To test the arguments, we’re equipped with a heart rate monitor, a power meter and a comparatively modest hill, we’re going to carry out widely separated rides and have the data interpreted by a coach and a physiologist. The hill will…

GLUTE SLAPPING GOOD 1 Lunge, squat and give your backside a good slap. Cyclists often overlook glutes, it’s the muscle that pushes the leg backwards and basically generates all the power. Cyclists complain about tight hamstrings but it’s actually the glutes that tire first and look for support from other muscles, the hamstrings just scream louder. Before a ride stimulate rather than stretch with a smack or two to get the nerve endings going. OPEN UP THE OBLIQUES 2 The obliques, on the side of the trunk, affect nerve tension in the legs too. If you’re sat at a desk all day then cycling in the evening, a ‘half moon’ stretch of the obliques eases tight leg muscles. Stand with your hands above your head – then bend over to…

Osteoporosis refers to a loss of bone density. Bone is a living tissue, with cells that continually form, mould and reabsorb bone. Over the age of 35, the rate of formation gets slower than that of reabsorption and bones gradually get weaker. Smoking, increased alcohol intake, steroid use, low body weight, low Vitamin D levels, and the menopause all increase the risk of osteoporosis. Osteopenia refers to a less severe loss of bone. Both conditions are usually asymptomatic but increase the risk of suffering a fracture. OSTEOPOROSIS AND CYCLING Studies have shown that osteoporosis and osteopenia may be associated with cycling. Most have looked at elite cyclists, a group who mostly train on bikes and rarely do weight-bearing exercise. Chris Boardman is probably the highest profile cyclist to be affected,…

Cycling is one of those things that Italians don’t seem to enjoy I have recently returned from commentating on a bike race in Italy, where riding a bike involves an almost complete absence of fun. First, some perspective: Italy is a wonderful country. I am the first (well, maybe not the very first) to wax lyrical about the symbiotic relationship between the land, the language, the smell and the taste of the Italian Peninsular. Barely a day goes by, on the smoky, early spring-washed roads of Tirreno- Adriatico, when I am not forced into a eulogy about a perfectly seasoned Amatriciana, a rich and intoxicating wild boar ragu, or a finely balanced Barbera d’Asti. Yes, it’s tough being a cycling commentator. The rolling Appenine mountains form the consistently breathtaking backdrop.…

When you want a bike, pay 50p, and an app gives you a release code for the nearest one Canal St Martin, in Paris’s 10th arrondissement, was drained for maintenance last year. Photos show dozens of bikes exposed in the swampy mud, like dinosaur fossils. Over in Amsterdam, the full-time bicycle-fishing crew excavating its canal network removes 15,000 a year. They’re a real danger to craft. Snagging your bottom on protruding handlebars is as much a problem for boats as it is for passengers trying to squeeze past Northern Railway’s pokey ‘bike spaces’. Now we can join in, thanks to an innovative new bike-sharing scheme in Cambridge by Chinese startup company ofo. (All lower case: the name’s supposed to look like a cyclist. Obviously young, slim entrepreneurs, I’d be more…

The Allez is a good looking thing with harmonious lines and minimal frippery Is the Specialized Allez the Ford Focus of road bikes? Consider the evidence: it’s been good but not exceptional value; it’s a solid performer; it’s pleasant looking without being too daring or challenging; and it’s everywhere. There’s nothing exotic about the Allez but it’s been successful because it’s always been a very safe choice – does it still stack up? The E5 Elite is the most expensive of the regular, non-DSW Allez variants, meaning that it’s got a conventional aluminium frame rather than a wackily-welded D’Aluisio SmartWeld one. It’s similar in overall appearance to the carbon Tarmac, just a little less slick thanks to external cabling and visible welds where the tubes meet, and the tubes are…

A very likeable, neutral bike that’s well suited to putting in big miles SPECIFICATION Weight 9.7kg (M) Frame ALUXX SL-Grade aluminium Fork Carbon, alloy steerer Gears Shimano Tiagra 50/34, 11-32 Brakes Giant Conduct hydraulic disc with converter Wheels Giant SR-2 Disc Finishing kit Giant Connect alloy bar and stem, Giant Contact Forward saddle, 25mm P-SL 1 tyres The world’s biggest bike maker has always served the entry level well, and the new Contend range offers bikes for a wide range of budgets, taking the place of the old aluminium Defy. The Contend SL is one up from the base model, and the SL 2 offers hydraulic braking and Shimano Tiagra shifting for a penny under a grand. Giant doesn’t need to prove it can make top-notch aluminium. The brand’s metal…

As a bonus the grey logo and additional highlights are reflective – safety first! SPECIFICATION Weight 9.2kg (54cm) Frame Ultralight 300 Series Alpha aluminium Fork Émonda carbon Gears Shimano Tiagra 50/34, 12-28 Brakes Shimano Tiagra Wheels Bontrager Tubeless Ready Finishing kit Bontrager Elite stem and Race bar, 25mm Bontrager R1 Hard-Case Lite tyres Almost three years ago, Trek launched what it claimed to be the world’s lightest production bike, the incredible carbon Émonda SLR. The Émonda ALR is its more affordable aluminium counterpart, and it offers an experience that’s closer to the big daddy than you might think. The Émonda ALR’s frame is everything you’d hope for from a modern aluminium bike in tech terms. It’s dainty in key areas for comfort, with slim seatstays and a 27.2mm seatpost promising…

WE SAY The S-Phyres combine slipper-like comfort with off-road performance and great looks HIGHS Fit, efficiency, traction, durability, ventilation LOWS Price, heel scuffs, chilly in cold weather ALONGSIDE THE RECENT S-PHYRE RP9 road shoe comes the S-Phyre XC9, for cyclo-cross riders, though they’d be equally at home on gravel-grinding expeditions. The S-Phyres mark Shimano’s departure from Velcro straps and ratcheting buckles to rotary dials. While a generally effective means of shoe fastening, Velcro can lose its grip when saturated, and ratcheting buckles don’t always offer sufficient fine adjustment. Boa IP1 dials allow rapid millimetric tension adjustment on-the-fly, have a low profile, instant release, and are serviceable. They’re more reliable in muddy conditions, but you should still clean them regularly. The two-piece supple microfibre upper has a wrapover design without a…

At the beginning of 2015, Team Sky’s Sir Dave Brailsford visited 20 technology companies in San Francisco in search of the next marginal gain. On his trip, Brailsford was caught with electrodes taped to his head. Why? It turned out to be a cranial stimulation device that reportedly overrides the brain’s perceived limits of fatigue and so, in theory, send a super-charged Froome and co higher, faster and stronger. Whether Brailsford has applied these stimulators within the darkened corridors of the ‘Death Star’ (nickname of the Sky team bus) remains to be seen, but it does highlight how the brain, for so long neglected when it comes to physical cycling performance, is becoming a greater focus in the search for speed. Being recreational riders, we presume you haven’t acquired a…

The stage for our little performance is the roads that encircle Llyn Brianne reservoir If you have three or four grand burning a hole in your pocket, you might be thinking about your next bike. The obvious solution and the one that we would usually endorse is an all-singing, all-dancing carbon racer, perhaps with electronic gears. Something like the Giant TCR Advanced Pro Disc, perhaps. This racy machine is 7.8kg of gloriously stiff, svelte carbon. It’s kitted out with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 components and groupset-equivalent hydraulic disc brakes, and rolls on carbon clinchers. It is, in short, completely cutting edge and one of those bikes that defies upgrades because there’s really nothing worth changing. What if you want something a bit different? What if you feel like cheating a little…

KEEP IT SHORT Improve your power by building short intervals into your flat road rides with short recoveries. Start with 5x5mins at around your Functional Threshold Power [the level you can sustain for about an hour] or around 7/8 of your highest rate of perceived exertion (RPE) with 1min recoveries. Build to 4x8mins with 1min recoveries, trying to push the pace up week on week. HEAD INDOORS There’s nothing flatter than your spare room or garage floor, so use a turbo trainer to perform some classic sweet-spot training, working at a hard but not painful intensity. Start by doing some short intervals of say 2x10mins and gradually build up from there over time so that you can do 30-40mins at your sweet spot in one steady state effort. BRING IT…

GET YOUR MEASURE 1 If you don’t have cadence sensor on your bike, measure your cadence by counting how many times one knee rises during a 30-second interval, then double this number and you have your revolutions per minute. There’s no ‘magic number’ for cadence but learning to pedal quickly allows you to hold a faster speed with less muscular fatigue and develops a faster and more efficient pedal stroke. GO FOR A SPIN If you have a slow leg turnover then just upping your rpm slightly, while staying in the same gear, can increase power and speed. Simple ‘spin ups’ are a good starting point. Include 10 bursts of speed during a ride where you keep the same gear, but accelerate the legs to maximum cadence for about 30-40…

BAND ON THE ROLL With endurance athletes we use a smooth foam roller to combat one of the more common cycling ailments, ITB (iliotibial band) friction from overuse, which affects around 15 per cent of new cyclists especially. It presents as pain on the outside of the knee, and a two-minute session using a roller with the body weight for pressure can reduce the stiffness, loosen muscles and improve flexibility. NO PAIN, NO GAIN At first the pain using a roller creates can be a bit of a killer, especially when you’re targeting muscles not used to the treatment. Use the roller on the quads, hamstrings and calf muscles after a long road ride or turbo session, around two-three minutes is enough. After a week or so you’ll overcome the…

Hotel Le Cassini A home base for your ultimate cycling holiday between Alpe d’Huez and Galibier. As passionate as you are about cycling the legendary cols surrounding us, we are about taking care of you. We serve tasty organic food and a welldeserved cold beer after your day ‘at height’, while your bikes are safe in our well-equipped garage. Pure tranquillity amongst the mountains!. E info@hotel-cassini.com W hotel-cassini.com Saddle Skedaddle Conquer the world’s iconic peaks on our road cycling holidays, which showcase literally dozens of Grand Tour climbs! Our trips in Europe are perfect for all you aspiring Kings and Queens of the mountains, enabling you to cycle everything from Mont Ventoux to the impressive Stelvio. Accommodation,guides and support van included, alongside invaluable technique tips too! E info@skedaddle.co.uk W skedaddle.co.uk…

So you’ve got yourself a bike? Welcome, you’re off to a good start. When it comes to the intoxicating word of road cycling, there’s so much more to it than that. We’ve recruited recent convert Chris McGuire to talk you through the rites of passage that will take you from interested newcomer to hardened roadie. We also bring you the essential gear you’ll need to get the most from your riding, a training plan to help you get the most from yourself, a few pointers about what not to do (the voices of experience) and editor Rob even ventures off-road to encourage you to not just ride but race.…

01 THE LOOSE CANNON THE STORY It was 2007 and I was riding the Tour de France sportive between Greenwich and Canterbury. The day went well until the 90-mile mark. I was in a small group that was working well together and seemed experienced so I thought I was where I needed to be. Then the guy in front of me wandered from his line and did a little wheelie to correct it, which should have been a warning that he was beginning to flag. Two minutes later he did it again, but lost control and went down. I had nowhere to go and went down with him. I remember the popping sensation as my shoulder broke. I got back on my bike but the adrenaline only took me another…